Excel Pop-Up causes PAD to run endlessly

[TesDA]

I have a very simple unattended flow kicked off from the cloud: 

Open a .xls excel file (this is where the PAD is getting stuck)

Close the file as .xlsx

I'm getting a css popup that occurs before the excel file actually opens, and if it isn't pressed the file just doesn't open (and PAD just keeps running). It doesn't come through as an error, so the error processing is never triggered (I created a sub flow to click OK, but it never gets triggered). 

Has anyone ever run into this before? How do I handle it? 

[VJR]

Hi @TesDA 

Is the error also showing up when the file is opened manually (without using PAD)?

If so it has nothing to do within PAD and must be with the file or its settings.

So you might want to lookup for the tons of articles that are there on this error and choose the fix that works in your scenario.

Although below is a different error than yours but worth a try.

Please take a backup before doing any setting changes.

Error: 'Problems during Load' while opening a Web TimeSheet Report in MS Excel - Replicon

If this fix doesn't work then lookup for other kinds of fix for the "Problems during load" issue and post back what you ended up with :).

[TesDA]

@VJR - The problem is that we're getting this file from a vendor tool that can't be changed and which this vendor refuses to fix so there really isn't a way to fix it on the front end. If this error didn't exist or the vendor was willing to just put the file in .xlsx, I wouldnt even need PAD. The .css error is because the vendor originally had some special branding in the excel file which doesn't work anymore. 

I've spent hours googling this specific error (as well as my colleague) and we have had no luck. I have also reset all of the security settings in excel on the virtual desktop that manages the PAD to allow all sorts of unsafe .xls files, and yet this popup still occurs. Hence my post here, I'm hoping someone else might have some thoughts other then just googling. 

I'm getting closer though, I'm using open application, instead of open excel which allows the tool to go to the next step without waiting for the popup to go away. Still having trouble getting the UI element step to click OK for some reason.

[VJR]

Try opening the Excel in Safe mode

Instead of "Continue immediately" you can choose "Wait for application".

 

Safe mode lets you start Excel without encountering certain startup programs. You can open Excel in safe mode by pressing and holding Ctrl while you start the program, or by using the /safe switch (excel.exe /safe) when you start the program from the command line. When you run Excel in safe mode, it bypasses functionality and settings such as alternative startup location, changed toolbars, the xlstart folder, and Excel add-ins. However, COM add-ins are excluded.

Source: Excel not responding, hangs, freezes or stops working (microsoft.com)

[TesDA]

@VJR Opening in safe mode doesn't help. I still get the CSS warning

[VJR]

Clearly the Excel is referencing to the css coming from your vendor (who might be downloading it from some application or web server).

When you are opening the file, Excel is trying to find/open the css file locally, but it does not exist locally on your machine.

1. Does unchecking this option work?

https://www.replicon.com/customer-zone2/kb-1001262/

2. Are you seeing anything in these two buttons in the Data tab that would break the link to this file?

[Pavel_NaNoi]

Try "Move mouse to image" action with a left click in this case, it will likely get past the OK button you're having trouble with.

Otherwise yeah this problem is kind of universal with Microsoft applications that you can open in PAD, I've had a similar issue with outlook for example, where because of the security in place, a popup would appear that would not allow any interaction until it is closed and causes the automation to go on indefinitely as it can't go to the next action because its still technically doing the "Opening Outlook" action, Sadly I don't think there's an easy fix to this at the moment, though the way you're doing it is definitely in the right direction.