Launch Excel problems

[Gregg Bolinger]

I am trying to run excel from java using

try{
Runtime r = Runtime.getRuntime();
Process p = r.exec("excel");
}catch(Exception e) { System.out.println(e.getMessage()); }

This is not working. However, if I specify the absolute path it does work. But if I click start -> run and type excel and press enter, somehow windows knows where to find it without the absolute path.
I need to be able to launch Excel without knowing where it is on a PC. Does Excel make some sort of environment variable similar to %systemroot% or something like that?
Any help??
Thanks

[Sigfred Zamo]

Well, I think you'll have to locate a registry key in Windows where Excel has a string value asigned with his root path, and then get it from your Java code..
Hope this helps.

[Cindy Glass]

There is an "InstallRoot" associated with Excel in the Windows Registry.
If you go to
Run>regedit.exe
In the window that comes up Select
HKey Local Machine
Software
Microsoft
Office
I have an 8.0 and a 9.0 - select one
Excell
InstallRoot
It names the path to find Excel.
I have not a clue how to do this using java .