COM

template<typename _IIID> class _com_ptr_t {
public:
    typedef _IIID ThisIIID;
    typedef typename _IIID::Interface Interface;
    static const IID& GetIID() throw()
    { 
        return ThisIIID::GetIID(); 
    }

    template<typename _OtherIID> _com_ptr_t(const _com_ptr_t<_OtherIID>& p) throw(_com_error)
        : m_pInterface(NULL)  
    {
        HRESULT hr = _QueryInterface(p);

        if (FAILED(hr) && (hr != E_NOINTERFACE)) {
            _com_issue_error(hr);
        }
    }
    template<typename _InterfaceType> _com_ptr_t(_InterfaceType* p) throw(_com_error)
        : m_pInterface(NULL)
    {
        HRESULT hr = _QueryInterface(p);

        if (FAILED(hr) && (hr != E_NOINTERFACE)) {
            _com_issue_error(hr);
        }
    }

     template<> _com_ptr_t(LPSTR str) throw(_com_error)
    {
        new(this) _com_ptr_t(static_cast<LPCSTR> (str), NULL); <<<<<<-- WHAT IS THIS LINE DOING?
    }
    ...
}

//not detaching these seems to cause excel to crash?
m_ExcelWorkbook.DetachDispatch();
m_ExcelWorkbooks.DetachDispatch();
m_ExcelWorksheet.DetachDispatch();

m_ExcelApp.SetVisible( false );
m_ExcelApp.Quit();

m_ExcelApp.DetachDispatch();
m_ExcelApp.ReleaseDispatch();