SSIS package on server cannot export to Excel - sql-server

Question

I have create a SSIS package which works perfectly from my BIDS. But when executing from the server it fails.
The package does the following:
Insert data (read from the SQL database) into an Excel file
Via a VB-script it opens the Excel file and removes line number 2
I can see that the package can insert the data correct in the Excel file. It fails when executing the VB-Script in a step called "Remove 2nd line":
Remove 2ndline: Error: Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation.
The script is:
#Region "Help: Introduction to the script task"
'The Script Task allows you to perform virtually any operation that can be accomplished in
'a .Net application within the context of an Integration Services control flow.
'Expand the other regions which have "Help" prefixes for examples of specific ways to use
'Integration Services features within this script task.
#End Region
Option Strict Off
#Region "Imports"
Imports System
Imports System.Data
Imports System.Math
Imports Microsoft.SqlServer.Dts.Runtime
Imports Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel
#End Region
'ScriptMain is the entry point class of the script. Do not change the name, attributes,
'or parent of this class.
<Microsoft.SqlServer.Dts.Tasks.ScriptTask.SSISScriptTaskEntryPointAttribute()> _
<System.CLSCompliantAttribute(False)> _
Partial Public Class ScriptMain
Inherits Microsoft.SqlServer.Dts.Tasks.ScriptTask.VSTARTScriptObjectModelBase
Private _app As Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Application
Private _books As Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Workbooks
Private _book As Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Workbook
Protected _sheets As Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Sheets
Protected _sheet1 As Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Worksheet
#Region "Help: Using Integration Services variables and parameters in a script"
'To use a variable in this script, first ensure that the variable has been added to
'either the list contained in the ReadOnlyVariables property or the list contained in
'the ReadWriteVariables property of this script task, according to whether or not your
'code needs to write to the variable. To add the variable, save this script, close this instance of
'Visual Studio, and update the ReadOnlyVariables and
'ReadWriteVariables properties in the Script Transformation Editor window.
'To use a parameter in this script, follow the same steps. Parameters are always read-only.
'Example of reading from a variable:
' startTime = Dts.Variables("System::StartTime").Value
'Example of writing to a variable:
' Dts.Variables("User::myStringVariable").Value = "new value"
'Example of reading from a package parameter:
' batchId = Dts.Variables("$Package::batchId").Value
'Example of reading from a project parameter:
' batchId = Dts.Variables("$Project::batchId").Value
'Example of reading from a sensitive project parameter:
' batchId = Dts.Variables("$Project::batchId").GetSensitiveValue()
#End Region
#Region "Help: Firing Integration Services events from a script"
'This script task can fire events for logging purposes.
'Example of firing an error event:
' Dts.Events.FireError(18, "Process Values", "Bad value", "", 0)
'Example of firing an information event:
' Dts.Events.FireInformation(3, "Process Values", "Processing has started", "", 0, fireAgain)
'Example of firing a warning event:
' Dts.Events.FireWarning(14, "Process Values", "No values received for input", "", 0)
#End Region
#Region "Help: Using Integration Services connection managers in a script"
'Some types of connection managers can be used in this script task. See the topic
'"Working with Connection Managers Programatically" for details.
'Example of using an ADO.Net connection manager:
' Dim rawConnection As Object = Dts.Connections("Sales DB").AcquireConnection(Dts.Transaction)
' Dim myADONETConnection As SqlConnection = CType(rawConnection, SqlConnection)
' <Use the connection in some code here, then release the connection>
' Dts.Connections("Sales DB").ReleaseConnection(rawConnection)
'Example of using a File connection manager
' Dim rawConnection As Object = Dts.Connections("Prices.zip").AcquireConnection(Dts.Transaction)
' Dim filePath As String = CType(rawConnection, String)
' <Use the connection in some code here, then release the connection>
' Dts.Connections("Prices.zip").ReleaseConnection(rawConnection)
#End Region
'This method is called when this script task executes in the control flow.
'Before returning from this method, set the value of Dts.TaskResult to indicate success or failure.
'To open Help, press F1.
Public Sub Main()
Try
Dim FileName As String = ""
If Dts.Variables.Contains("DestinationPath") = True Then
FileName = CType(Dts.Variables("DestinationPath").Value, String)
End If
OpenExcelWorkbook(FileName)
_sheet1 = CType(_sheets(1), Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Worksheet)
_sheet1.Activate()
Dim range As Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Range = _sheet1.Rows(2)
range.Delete(Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.XlDeleteShiftDirection.xlShiftUp)
DoRelease(range)
DoRelease(_sheet1)
CloseExcelWorkbook()
DoRelease(_book)
_app.Quit()
DoRelease(_app)
Dts.TaskResult = ScriptResults.Success
Catch ex As Exception
MsgBox(ex.ToString())
End Try
End Sub
Protected Sub OpenExcelWorkbook(ByVal fileName As String)
'try
'{
_app = New Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Application()
If _book Is Nothing Then
_books = _app.Workbooks
_book = _books.Open(fileName, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing)
_sheets = _book.Worksheets
End If
'}
'catch(Exception ex)
'{
' Console.WriteLine(ex.ToString());
'}
End Sub
Protected Sub CloseExcelWorkbook()
_book.Save()
_book.Close(False, Type.Missing, Type.Missing)
End Sub
Protected Sub DoRelease(ByVal o As Object)
Try
If Not o Is Nothing Then
System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(o)
End If
Finally
o = Nothing
End Try
End Sub
#Region "ScriptResults declaration"
'This enum provides a convenient shorthand within the scope of this class for setting the
'result of the script.
'This code was generated automatically.
Enum ScriptResults
Success = Microsoft.SqlServer.Dts.Runtime.DTSExecResult.Success
Failure = Microsoft.SqlServer.Dts.Runtime.DTSExecResult.Failure
End Enum
#End Region
End Class
The Excel file is reached by the variable "DestinationPath". This path works when outside the script (ie it can fill data in the file in a previous step). It also works when in BIDS in the script. I have also made sure to make it available to the script as a ReadOnlyVariable. So I am pretty confident that it is not a problem with the variable.
My server is a Windows 2012 R2 (64-bit)
The package is being executed on an SQL Server 2012 - 11.0.
I have installed Excel 2013 on the server.
I have created the following folder as this could also cause the problem (I have read): C:\Windows\SysWOW64\config\systemprofile\Desktop
The caller of my script is my administrator userid - and this userid is capable of using Excel on the server.

Answer 1

Is there any reason we couldn't use the regular Excel Connection manager to insert data, and instead of deleting line 2, just never send it? Use a Conditional Split to siphon it off. Here is a simple example. Here is an advanced example of using SSIS default Excel Connection manager. I'd also like to grant a pearl of wisdom against using Interop.Excel inside of script tasks. It can certainly lead to these types of "But, it works on my Machine" scenarios. Read KB257757 to see why Microsoft discourages this type of thing. However, some things only Interop.Excel can do, such as saving to PDF or running macros. You're not doing either of those things, so why not give the regular Excel connector a try?