The following code works great with Excel 95 but generates a "Member not
found." error using Excel 97.  Anybody know what I'm doing wrong?

{**** Begin code ****}
unit MainForm;

interface

uses
  Windows, Messages, SysUtils, Classes, Graphics, Controls, Forms,
Dialogs,
  ComObj, StdCtrls;

type
  TForm1 = class(TForm)
    Button1: TButton;
    procedure FormCreate(Sender: TObject);
    procedure FormDestroy(Sender: TObject);
    procedure Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
  private
    { Private declarations }
  public
    { Public declarations }

    {*** Public member declarations ***}
    Excel : Variant;
  end;

var
  Form1: TForm1;

implementation

{$R *.DFM}

procedure TForm1.FormCreate(Sender: TObject);
begin
  try
    Excel := CreateOleObject('Excel.Application');
    Excel.WorkBooks.Add;
    Excel.Visible := True;
    Excel.WindowState := -4140;
  except
    MessageDlg('Excel could not be started.', mtError, [mbOK], 0);
  end;
end;

procedure TForm1.FormDestroy(Sender: TObject);
begin
  try
    Excel.Quit;
  except
    MessageDlg('Excel could not be terminated.', mtError, [mbOK], 0);
  end;
end;

procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
begin
  Excel.Range('A1:A1');
  Excel.Selection.Value := 'Hello world!';
end;

end.

{**** End code ***}

Secondly, I've seen lots of discussion in this group which seems to
indicate that using imported type libraries is much faster that using
variants.  If I import the type library for Excel8 (Excel97?) that I see
in the Import Type Library dialog in Delphi 4, what happens if my app is
installed on a machine where only Excel7 is availble? - - TIA, Del G.

Well, don't I feel stupid!  A little experimentation on my part yielded the
answer.  The following line:

  Excel.Range('A1:A1');

Should be:

  Excel.Range['A1:A1'];

And now all is well with Excel95 and Excel 97.

If I may interject...

A visit to www.inprise.com/delphi/papers is worth its bandwidth in gold.

Charlie Calvert has an article there on Excel and Word automation.  Get it,
read it, and file it.

Mark Aitken