# check if Excel exists
my $x = Win32::OLE->GetActiveObject('Excel.Application');
if ($@) {
	warn "Excel not Installed.\n";
	die "Excel not Installed.\n";
}

# start Excel program, die if unable to
unless (defined $x) {
	$x = Win32::OLE->new('Excel.Application', sub { $_[0]->Quit; } ) 
	# and
	# sleep 1

	or
		warn "Cannot start Excel.\n"
		and
		die "Cannot start Excel.\n";
}

$x->{DisplayAlerts}=0;   # no messages from Excel


##</code><code>##

Win32::OLE(0.1502) error 0x80010105: "The server threw an exception"
in PROPERTYPUT "DisplayAlerts" at /PerlApp/xls_subs.pl line 110

##</code><code>##

	# and
	# sleep 1