title: How to get the path of the installed Excel.exe programmatically?
body: <p>Is there any way that I could find a way to retrieve the path of the Excel executable file in C# or VB.Net? I'm aware of these two options below, but unfortunately they are not suitable. Please suggest if you have an alternative.</p>
  
  <ol>
  <li>Using the Registry</li>
  <li>Using <code>Process.Start("Excel")</code> and getting the path from the Excel process</li>
  </ol>
  
  <p>Cannot use the Registry option because people without sufficient rights may be using my application and hence we wanted to stay away. If this assumption is wrong and Registry is reliable for any level of user access rights, please let me know.</p>
  
  <p>With Second option, I'm seeing the Excel process being opened, if there is a way where I can start, but not have Excel process appear at all to the user, this may work.</p>