Thank you so much. This is great and is what I needed.

I really appreciate you taking the time to post the answer!

"Paul" wrote:

This is a bit of a long answer, but it works well for us in a similar scenario.

Sub Test_File_Access()

cFile = ' set to the name of the file you need to activate
cDirect = ' set to the folder containing the files

lClose = False
lOpen = ZZZZ_SelectFile(cFile)
If lOpen = False Then
lClose = True
lOpen = ZZZZ_OpenFile(cFile, cDirect, True, False, False)
If lOpen = False Then
n = MsgBox("Expected file not found", vbInformation)
Exit Sub
End If
End If
' Do your stuff here

' The next bit closes the data file again (otherwise you end up with masses
of files opened)
If lClose = True then
Application.CutCopyMode = False
Windows(cFile).Activate
ActiveWorkbook.Close (False)
End If

End Sub

Function ZZZZ_OpenFile(pFile, pDirect, pReadOnly, pUpdateLinks, pMessage)
' Attempts to open a specified file
' Returns True if the operation was successful
' Returns False if the operation failed
' pFile is the file to be opened
' pDirect is the directory in which the file is to be found
' pReadOnly determines whether the file is to be opened read only
' pUpdateLinks determines whether any file links are updated when opening
' pMessage detgermines whether s fail message is displayed to the user

' Set ZZZZ_OpenFile to true - it will be reset to false if the operation fails
ZZZZ_OpenFile = True
' cOpenFile is the full path and filename to be opened
pOpenFile = Trim(pDirect) + Trim(pFile)
' Set error trap to capture a failure to open
On Error GoTo NotOpen
' Atempt to open the specified file
Workbooks.Open Filename:=pOpenFile, ReadOnly:=pReadOnly,
UpdateLinks:=pUpdateLinks
' Reset the error trap to Excel defaults
On Error GoTo 0
' If the operation failed and messages are to be displayed
If ZZZZ_OpenFile = False And pMessage = True Then
' Display the message to the user
nResponse = MsgBox(pOpenFile + " doesn't exist", vbCritical)
End If
Exit Function
NotOpen:
' Reset ZZZZ_OpenFile to false when the operation fails
ZZZZ_OpenFile = False
Resume Next
End Function

Function ZZZZ_SelectFile(pFile)
' Attempts to select a specified file
' Returns True if the operation was successful
' Returns False if the operation failed
' pFile is the file to be selected
' Set ZZZZ_SelectFile to true - it will be reset to false if the operation
fails
ZZZZ_SelectFile = True
' Set error trap to capture a failure to select
On Error GoTo NotOpen
' Select the specified file
Windows(pFile).Activate
' Reset the error trap to Excel defaults
On Error GoTo 0
Exit Function
NotOpen:
' Reset ZZZZ_OpenFile to false when the operation fails
ZZZZ_SelectFile = False
Resume Next
End Function






"laavista" wrote:

I'm using Excel 2003. I'm looping through a set of Excel files, opening
each one and writing data from that Excel spreadsheet into a "master" excel
spreadsheet.

The program failed when one of the Excel files was corrupt.
Also--occasionally the user will have a file in a different format (e.g.,
Word) in the directory I'm working with, and that's causing problems.

1) How do I check that the file to be opened IS .xls?
2) How do I check that the Excel file is not corrupt?

Your help would be GREATLY appreciated.

THANKS!