Convert Excel to PDF using JavaScript

Question

How can I convert Excel documents (files) to PDF in an automated fashion? I am trying to adapt the solution found here to Excel. So far I have this:

var fso = new ActiveXObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject");
var docPath = WScript.Arguments(0);
docPath = fso.GetAbsolutePathName(docPath);

var pdfPath = docPath.replace(/\.xls[^.]*$/, ".pdf");
var objExcel = null;

try
{
    WScript.Echo("Saving '" + docPath + "' as '" + pdfPath + "'...");

    objExcel = new ActiveXObject("Excel.Application");
    objExcel.Visible = false;

    var objExcel = objExcel.Workbooks.Open(docPath);

    var wdFormatPdf = 17;
    objExcel.SaveAs(pdfPath, wdFormatPdf);
    objExcel.Close();

    WScript.Echo("Done.");
}
finally
{
    if (objExcel != null)
    {
        objExcel.Quit();
    }
}

Output:

Saving 'somefile.xlsx' as 'somefile.pdf'...
Done.
..\SaveXLSXAsPDF.js(27, 9) (null): The object invoked has disconnected from its clients.

An erroneous PDF file is created, and it will not open in a reader. Perhaps format 17 isn't the best choice for Excel, I'm thinking. Does anyone have the correct information or know how to make this work?

Answer 1

You're clobbering objExcel on line 15:

var objExcel = objExcel.Workbooks.Open(docPath);

Those lines of code need to use a different variable, e.g.:

var objWorkbook = objExcel.Workbooks.Open(docPath);

var wdFormatPdf = 57;
objWorkbook.SaveAs(pdfPath, wdFormatPdf);
objWorkbook.Close();