VBA CreateObject vs. GetObject Demonstrating GetObject and CreateObject
Example
Returns a reference to an object provided by an ActiveX component.
Use the GetObject function when there is a current instance of the object or if you want to create the object with a file already loaded. If there is no current instance, and you don't want the object started with a file loaded, use the CreateObject function.
Sub CreateVSGet()
Dim ThisXLApp As Excel.Application 'An example of early binding
Dim AnotherXLApp As Object 'An example of late binding
Dim ThisNewWB As Workbook
Dim AnotherNewWB As Workbook
Dim wb As Workbook
'Get this instance of Excel
Set ThisXLApp = GetObject(ThisWorkbook.Name).Application
'Create another instance of Excel
Set AnotherXLApp = CreateObject("Excel.Application")
'Make the 2nd instance visible
AnotherXLApp.Visible = True
'Add a workbook to the 2nd instance
Set AnotherNewWB = AnotherXLApp.Workbooks.Add
'Add a sheet to the 2nd instance
AnotherNewWB.Sheets.Add
'You should now have 2 instances of Excel open
'The 1st instance has 1 workbook: Book1
'The 2nd instance has 1 workbook: Book2
'Lets add another workbook to our 1st instance
Set ThisNewWB = ThisXLApp.Workbooks.Add
'Now loop through the workbooks and show their names
For Each wb In ThisXLApp.Workbooks
Debug.Print wb.Name
Next
'Now the 1st instance has 2 workbooks: Book1 and Book3
'If you close the first instance of Excel,
'Book1 and Book3 will close, but book2 will still be open
End Sub
