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1-Visitor
November 17, 2015
Question

Problem with Excel component being "busy"

  • November 17, 2015
  • 7 replies
  • 13347 views

Hello everyone

I've had the same problem as descripted here twice this week:

Unable to activate Excel component

I work with an embedded excel table which contains a function. At a certain point I get the error message "Excel is busy; can't activate Excel. Make sure that cells are not being edited in Excel and try again in a few seconds." but there is no instance of excel open. Upon restarting mathcad and/or my computer the problem remains.

Does anyone know how to solve this problem?

Could someone please check the appended file so I can exclude an error of my sytem?

Cheers!

7 replies

1-Visitor
November 17, 2015

What version of office are you using?

Mike

1-Visitor
November 17, 2015

I am getting the same error message and using Office 2013. It seems the worksheet has become corrupted somehow.

Your Excel component seems to have an image inserted? That might be the cause. I have embedded a new Excel component into your worksheet and it works.

Mike

sthomet1-VisitorAuthor
1-Visitor
November 17, 2015

Thank you for checking, I'm also using Office 2013 and Mathcad Prime 3.1

There is no image in the Excel component...

I think i will try to file a Bug to ptc

1-Visitor
November 17, 2015

Stefan Thomet wrote:

Thank you for checking, I'm also using Office 2013 and Mathcad Prime 3.1

There is no image in the Excel component...

I think i will try to file a Bug to ptc

Maybe worth a try. Did you manually input the data shown below?

You could try and replicate the problem in a new sheet.

Mike

24-Ruby III
November 18, 2015

I have the same issue by using Mathcad Prime 3.1 and Excel 2010 on Win7 32-bit.

1-Visitor
November 18, 2015

What about if you insert a new Excel component?

Mike

24-Ruby III
November 18, 2015

Inserted properly and clickable.

10-Marble
April 10, 2018

I am experiencing the same problem. I have no working excel components and the back-up sheet posted below in the thread did not function. No open instances of excel. Was a resolution found?

 

Using Mathcad Prime 4.0 and Office 2016.

24-Ruby III
April 11, 2018

You use Mathcad Prime 4.0 M010 service release?

14-Alexandrite
January 20, 2021

I'm sure there is a technical term for this bug but I have found three ways to end it.

  1. Open the Excel document, click in cell A1 and close it. (no idea why this often works)
  2. Close and open the Mathcad document (Microsoft type  binary solution)
  3. Open Task Manager and perform an End Task on all instances of Excel and Mathcad. (Another Microsoft solution).  Then restart Mathcad and open your document.

 

1-Visitor
April 27, 2023

Having same problem now when Inserting Excel Component . Using Mathcad Prime 9.0 and Excel 2016. Mathcad.PNG

14-Alexandrite
April 27, 2023

I've had this problem on a number of computers.  PTC says they can't duplicate the problem.  However, uninstalling Office 365 and then reinstalling it seems to solve the problem.  I've had success with several computers.  

 

Bob

4-Participant
March 6, 2025

Having the same problem with Prime 10 and Microsoft 365.

1-Visitor
June 19, 2025

Yea I've given up on using excel components in mathcad prime. Its a shame too bc I have a lot of ideas of different ways to use them and PTC seems to have no interest in figuring this out considering its persisted for 10 years now in the software.