applescript to excel example

try
        -- I have no idea why this might fail, but since I found another way, I'll include it.
        tell application "Microsoft Excel" to activate
    on error errMsg number n
        log "activate error..." & errMsg & " with number " & n
        try
            -- I have no idea why this might fail, but since I found another way, I'll include it.
            do shell script "open '/Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Microsoft Excel.app'"
        on error errMsg number n
            log "do shell script..." & errMsg & " with number " & n
            display dialog "Goodbye. Error. " giving up after 12
            return
        end try -- for do shell script

    end try -- for tell appp "Microsoft Excel"


    delay 5 -- let excel load.

    tell application "Microsoft Excel"

        -- mystery why above tell doesn't work. Was working in the before as it was commented out below.
        try
            -- I have no idea why this might fail, but since I found another way, I'll include it.
            activate
        on error errMsg number n
            log "activate error..." & errMsg & " with number " & n
            display dialog "Activate Error.  Continuing. " giving up after 12
        end try -- for do shell script
        try
            -- this sometime fails.  Just today.  Run again.
            open excelName
        on error errMsg number n
            log "open  error..." & errMsg & " with number " & n
            display dialog "Could not open the Excel document.  Giving up.  Excel should open to a spreadsheet, but sometimes excel wants to be 'helpful' and display something else. " & return & "Suggest you try again. " giving up after 20
            return
        end try

        tell active sheet
            tell used range
                set rowCount to count of rows
            end tell
            -- Is the sheet blank?
            if rowCount > 1 then
                -- sheet not blank, better add stuff at the end.
            else

                -- blank sheet. Insert headers
                -- This is a little odd.  Notice how the numbers are going across.
                tell row 1
                    set value of cell 1 to "Number"
                    set font style of font object of cell 1 to "Bold"

                    set value of cell 2 to "Question"
                    set font style of font object of cell 2 to "Bold"
                    set column width of range 2 to 40

                    set value of cell 3 to "Option A"
                    set font style of font object of cell 3 to "Bold"

                    set value of cell 4 to "Option B"
                    set font style of font object of cell 4 to "Bold"

                    set value of cell 5 to "Option C"
                    set font style of font object of cell 5 to "Bold"

                    set value of cell 6 to "Option D"
                    set font style of font object of cell 6 to "Bold"

                    set value of cell 7 to "Solution"
                    set font style of font object of cell 7 to "Bold"
                    set column width of range 7 to 40
                    set wrap text of range 7 to true

                    set value of cell 8 to "Added Date & Time"
                    set font style of font object of cell 8 to "Bold"
                    set column width of range 8 to 40
                end tell

                tell column 2
                    set wrap text to true
                end tell
                tell column 8
                    set wrap text to true
                end tell
            end if
            set rowCount to rowCount + 1

            log "rowCount is " & rowCount
        end tell -- active sheet
    end tell -- excel

-- continuation of example ---------------------------------------------------------------

        -- fill in a row of the excel sheet
        tell application "Microsoft Excel"
            activate
            tell active sheet
                tell row rowCount
                    set value of cell 1 to questionActualNumber
                    set value of cell 2 to questionText
                    repeat with i from 1 to count of answersArray
                        set value of cell (2 + i) to item i of answersArray
                    end repeat
                    -- solution
                    set value of cell 7 to answerLetter
                    -- date & time

                    set value of cell 8 to presentDT
                end tell
            end tell -- active sheet
        end tell -- excel

        log "filled in excel row " & rowCount
        set rowCount to rowCount + 1

    end repeat -- collectionSize


    tell application "Microsoft Excel"

        close workbooks
        quit

    end tell -- excel