Excel black screen when running LabVIEW 12.0 on Windows7 (32-Bit)

[MRKLL]

I have just migrated a LabVIEW 8.0 program on a Windows XP computer to run with LabVIEW 12.0 on a Windows 7 (32-bit) computer.  I converted all of the Excel 2000 files (.xls) to Excel 2010 (.xlsm, .xlsx) files.  When I run the LabVIEW program, I notice that intermittently that the Excel icon that is displayed is "yellow" for a 1/2 second.  This sometimes causes the LabVIEW program to hang up.  When you mouse over the icon, you can't see the Excel file.  All you see is a black (or white) screen where the data should be and the file does not close like it should.  If I close the file, then the LabVIEW program errors.  I will attach a screen shot.  This program pulls data from Oracle every 20 minutes to update the products in the wafer fab queue.  It runs 24X7.  I went into Excel and set the Options, Trust Center, Macro Settings - Enable all macros and checked the Trust access to the_VBA project object model.  (Suggestion from our IT tech).  When I restart the LabVIEW program, it runs fine.  When it goes to update the fist time, Excel goes into vapor lock!  (white screen).  I downloaded the TDM Excel Add-In, but the notes said it was already installed on LabVIEW 9.0 and later.  Any ideas?  Mark

[MRKLL]

Update.  When this issue with Excel occurs, I get this error:

Property Node (arg 1) in NI_Excel.lvclass:Excel Remove Module.vi->Dumping Oracle WIP Data to Excel Sheet and run Fab process WIP Macro.vi->Update FAB WIP every 20 mins.vi

The "Dumping Oracle WIP Data to Excel Sheet and run Fab process WIP Macro.vi" opens the Excel template where the Oracle data is downloaded. This last time, the LabVIEW program continued, but none of the files actually updated. 

I opened the "Dumping Oracle WIP Data to Excel Sheet and run Fab process WIP Macro.vi" program and ran it by its self.  If ran without any errors.  Then I ran the main program and it ran without any errors and updated all of the Excel files.  Mark

[MRKLL]

I went to this forum:  http://www.techsupportforum.com/forums/f57/solved-excel-documents-wont-open-only-blank-grey-screen-2...

It listed a couple possible solutions with modifications to Excel, but none worked with Excel 2010.  I checked my Excel file and confirmed that the NI TDM Importer for MS Excel is loaded.  (see attachment) Mark

[MRKLL]

I am still troubleshooting this program.  I have been getting this error: 

Error 1448 occurred at To More Specific Class in NI_Excel.lvclass:Excel Import Module.vi

Possible reason(s):

LabVIEW:  Bad type cast.  LabVIEW cannot treat the run-time value of this LabVIEW class as an instance of the given LabVIEW class.

I found some macros that are in my Excel template pointing to the wrong file extension.  I fixed these, but they are not active during the download of the data from Oracle.

Have I corrupted one of the LabVIEW modules?  Mark

[ShishKeBobby]

Hi MRKLL,

I'm having trouble understanding exactly what's happening.  Let's break it down piece by piece and try to figure this out.

What is happening in excel?  Are you using a macro? Where does LabVIEW fit into all of this?

Thanks,

[MRKLL]

Bobby, we use LabVIEW to download WIP data from Oracle, sort the data by process and the final product is an Excel file, updated every 20 minutes.  The VB script opens an Excel file to download the Oracle data, then opens and closes various other Excel files that are used to hold WIP info when the jobs are in process or are on hold.  Basically, we use this program to track our WIP status.

Since the LabVIEW program has to open\update\close a number of Excel files every 20 minutes, when one does not behave, LabVIEW hangs up.

I think the actual issue is with Excel 2010.  The reason I think this is that when you try to open the Excel template (receives the Oracle download and is sorted), the Excel program does not fully open and you get the black\white screen.  See screen shot attached to one of the previous inputs.  My guess is that is that there is an issue with one of the embedded macros in the Excel template, but cannot find it.

If you close the Excel template and re-open it, Excel opens correctly and you can see the file.  When LabView is running, an icon for the Excel template is displayed at the bottom of the screen.  When Labview initially opens the Excel template, the icon is a yellow color.  Each time after that, when LabVIEW opens the Excel template, the icon is green.  When LabVIEW moves to the next module, an error occurs.

I have isolated the error to the NI_Excel.lvclass module.  Here is what I get:  Property Node (arg 1) in NI_Excel.lvclass:Excel Remove Module.vi->Dumping Oracle WIP Data to Excel Sheet and run Fab process WIP Macro.vi->Update FAB WIP every 20 mins.vi

.

Mark

[ShishKeBobby]

Hi MRKLL,

I found some internal resources which indicated that the error you mentioned before (Error 1148) may be related to some parent child conflicts in your code.  Example: Casting a child to a parent then back to a child.  There may be a similar issue with the error too, which is described here : https://decibel.ni.com/content/thread/15069 (your error is mentioned in the 5th reply)

I will also need to see some more detailed screenshots.  The two you attached look the same to me, unless I'm totally missing the point.  Screens of the errors in LabVIEW and the abnormal behavior in Excel would be helpful.

Breaking this down: there is a LabVIEW error, and there is an Excel error.  They may be linked.  Is this correct?  I'm sorry this is taking me a while to put my head around.

[MRKLL]

Bobby, thanks for the info.  Let me take a look.  You are correct.  I think I have an error with Excel and it is related to the macros that are embedded in the Excel spreadsheet that I use as a template for each update.  I believe this causes the error in LabVIEW, since this program worked correctly wit the Windows XP/LabVIEW 8.0 set up.  I will work on some new screen shots.  I have also been contacted by Frank Lezu and we are working on setting up a visit.  Thanks for your help.  Mark

[MRKLL]

Bobby, attached file shows the screen shots that drill down to the error.  Now I am having an issue with opening existintg Excel files on this computer.  I get an erro that says "There was a problem sending the command to this program."  Mark

[MRKLL]

Bobby, drilled down to where the error occurs in the NI_Excel.lvlclass module.  Mark