#!c:\perl\bin\ -w
use Win32::OLE qw(in with);
use Win32::OLE::Const 'Microsoft Excel';
use Win32::OLE::Variant;
use Win32::OLE::NLS qw(:LOCALE :DATE);
use strict;
my $configfile = "OleoresinSpreadsheet2.conf";
open (CONFIG,$configfile);
my $HPLC_Collum;
if(<CONFIG>=~/;;HPLCColumn;;([0-9]+);/){                          
    $HPLC_Collum= $1;
    }
my $Excel = Win32::OLE->GetActiveObject('Excel.Application')
        || Win32::OLE->new('Excel.Application', 'Quit');
my $excelfile = 'F:\Spreadsheet\lab results\COPY GRID MASTER COPY.xls'
+;
my $Book = $Excel->Workbooks->Open($excelfile);
my $WorkBooknumber = 6;
my $Sheet = $Book->Worksheets($WorkBooknumber);
print($HPLC_Collum);
print($Sheet->Cells(6,$HPLC_Collum)->{'Value'});
[download]

Win32::OLE(0.1709) error 0x800a03ec
    in METHOD/PROPERTYGET "Cells" at C:\Documents and Settings\KHusban
+d\Desktop\
New Folder\test2.pl line 20
Can't use an undefined value as a HASH reference at C:\Documents and S
+ettings\KH
usband\Desktop\New Folder\test2.pl line 20, <CONFIG> line 1.
18
[download]

The Regex test in your second presentation is not the same as in your original post.

In your original post you used the regex expression:

if(/;;HPLCColumn;;([0-9]+);/){
                            if ($number == 2){
                             $HPLC_Collum= $1;
                            $number ++;
                        }else {
                           die ; 
                        }
[download]

Whereas in your response above you use:

if(<CONFIG>=~/;;HPLCColumn;;([0-9]+);/){                          
    $HPLC_Collum= $1;
    }
[download]

Those are not at all the same. Hence, I don't think you're confirming what you think/say you're confirming by the latter example.

In the former (i.e., the original) case you only set $HPLC_Colum to result of the 1st capture group (i.e., $1) if the value of $number matches the number 2. In the latter case (i.e., in your response) you set the value of $HPLC_Colum unconditionally to the value of $1 from your regex.

So it looks to me like it is reasonable that you're getting the right answer from the latter but since I can see nowwhere in your original code where you set $number then either $HPLC_Colum never gets set or, presuming it is some global that gets set elsewhere in your code, then I can't tell if you ever get to set $HPLC_Colum.

Of course, in that original form, if $number doesn't match the number 2 then you would execute the die which I would presume would be obvious. So it looks like $number is set to 2 elsewhere but your regex is not matching so you don't get your match group set like you're expecting.

I concur with the other responders that you need to be using use strict; and use warnings; to make tracking down these kinds of problems easier. Also, as they suggested, getting familiar with and employing judicious diagnostic print statements to confirm that your variables are getting properly set is most helpful. I would also add that getting familiar with and judiciously using Perl's Debugger can also be helpful...and sometimes more convenient and straight-forward than messing with diagnostic print statements.

I get these types of challenges frequently and have developed a pretty standard diagnostic strategy to track down the sources of the problems (the strategy is usually a combination of judicuous use of diagnostic prints and the debugger).

ack Albuquerque, NM

aha mabey i should have made it more clear as I allso shortened the config file in the second example to only contain one entry. ;;HPLCColumn;;18;
1. im' using  use strict and i thought the -w tag in  #!c:\perl\bin\ -w was the same as  use warnings
2.the whole reason for which number is in the first example is so that i make shure that the config file is read in order
3. the same thing's regardless what example i use 1, or 2, you can output the value caught in the regex directly above where it is is to be called by  $Sheet->Cells(6,$HPLC_Collum)->{'Value'} and it still result's in an error
Thanks
BlueInk

Maybe $Sheet->Cells() doesn't accept a string but does accept an integer. You could try $Sheet->Cells(6,0+$HPLC_Collum) to test this.

You Sir are a genius or mabey some one just abnormaly smart any way's thank you very much
Thanks
Blueink

I know this thread is a little old, but after writing literally hundreds of $sheet->Cells($this,$that)->{Value} lines of code, I hit this exact problem. The solution of writing 0+$this works! What makes Perl think these particular variable are strings, when it has treated them as numbers in so much similar code?

I know this thread is old .. but this helped me tons today! I've been stuck on this error. I tried that adding 0 to my $col variable and no more errors! Thanks!! 0+$col

Really helped.. thanks!