Hello,
can't overcome this problem. I am automating xl from c++/atl and get
this error..

actually not only this method fails, it's just the first i call in
OnClick event. Same happens with SaveCopyAs..

the error i extract using FormatMessage(with constant get err msg from
system)

hr of operation: 0x800A03EC. When i pass this to FormatMessage, it
fails too :) GetLastError = 317 ( i looked up this on msdn - the error
message for 317 should be failed to find message or smth similar). When
i recursively pass 317 to FormatMessage once again, it fails and
GetLastError return 87 ( The parameter is incorrect )

that's how i call formatMessage:
DWORD rc = FormatMessage(
FORMAT_MESSAGE_ALLOCATE_BUFFER |
FORMAT_MESSAGE_FROM_SYSTEM,
NULL,
dwErr,
MAKELANGID(LANG_NEUTRAL, SUBLANG_DEFAULT),
(LPTSTR) &lpMsgBuf,
0, NULL );