Excel Addin Problem
I have this serious problem with excel addins. Hope someone helps me in solving.
I have an .msi app, I created a .mst as per the company standards. I need to insert an excel addin(.xla) in the application. Whenever I launch excel, my addin must launch automatically. I have the idea of adding custom action in the .mst for execution of my excel addin. I used the following script for the addin execution.
On Error Resume Next
Dim oXL
Dim oAddin
Set oXL = CreateObject("Excel.Application")
oXL.Workbooks.Add
Set oAddin = oXL.AddIns.Add("C:\Program Files\ABC\XYZ.xla", True)
oAddin.Installed = True
oXL.Quit
Set oAddin = Nothing
Set oXL = Nothing
If the above script is run locally the addin gets installed. But when I insert this in the .mst the addin doesn't work.
Pls help me in this issue. I have been trying all the possible ways. Pls tell me the best sequence steps we can use for the application to work.
--
Charlie.
I have an .msi app, I created a .mst as per the company standards. I need to insert an excel addin(.xla) in the application. Whenever I launch excel, my addin must launch automatically. I have the idea of adding custom action in the .mst for execution of my excel addin. I used the following script for the addin execution.
On Error Resume Next
Dim oXL
Dim oAddin
Set oXL = CreateObject("Excel.Application")
oXL.Workbooks.Add
Set oAddin = oXL.AddIns.Add("C:\Program Files\ABC\XYZ.xla", True)
oAddin.Installed = True
oXL.Quit
Set oAddin = Nothing
Set oXL = Nothing
If the above script is run locally the addin gets installed. But when I insert this in the .mst the addin doesn't work.
Pls help me in this issue. I have been trying all the possible ways. Pls tell me the best sequence steps we can use for the application to work.
--
Charlie.
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Answers (13)
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Posted by:
Crazy8
14 years ago
You could create a vbs file, copy the file locally when you install the mst, then run an active setup script to run the vbs file when each user logs in again.
Posted by:
anonymous_9363
14 years ago
Location: After InstallFinalize
Condition: NOT REMOVE or NOT Installed
Properties: Immediate Execution; Synchronous; Always Execute
Remember, you'll need a companion CA for uninstallation.
Location: After InstallInitialize
Condition: REMOVE~="ALL"
Properties: Immediate Execution; Synchronous; Always Execute
Your script should be altered so that it has a single function. That function will take a parameter, indicating whether you're adding or removing the add-in, meaning you have only one code instance to maintain.
Condition: NOT REMOVE or NOT Installed
Properties: Immediate Execution; Synchronous; Always Execute
Remember, you'll need a companion CA for uninstallation.
Location: After InstallInitialize
Condition: REMOVE~="ALL"
Properties: Immediate Execution; Synchronous; Always Execute
Your script should be altered so that it has a single function. That function will take a parameter, indicating whether you're adding or removing the add-in, meaning you have only one code instance to maintain.
Posted by:
captain_planet
14 years ago
I've not looked into what these automation scripts add to the system (Does it dynamically enumerate those OPEN reg keys? - dunno. I'll go digging when I get a second....) but I'd have thought it should be deferred? But as I said, I don't know what it does to be honest so I'll shut up. Anyway, based on the parameter VBScab mentions, so long as you're executing in an immediate context you can use the feature state to determine what should happen like this:
'get state of feature. In this example, 'Complete' is the name of your main feature
Dim featureState : featureState = Session.FeatureRequestState("Complete")
'call your configureAddin subroutine - pass in the feature state
configureAddin(featureState)
Sub configureAddin(featureState)
Select Case(featureState)
Case 2
'logic to uninstall addin
Case 3
'logic to install addin
Case 5
'logic to repair addin
Case Else
'do nothing
End Select
End Sub
Posted by:
anonymous_9363
14 years ago
Cap'n, It will, I suspect, enum the relevant keys at some point but it's done "internally", thus removing the onus from the packager.
Run in Immediate, automation automatically uses HKCU instead of HKLM so is quite safe there. I prefer it there, as not all users want the same add-ins. Obviously, one could use Active Setup instead.
Run in Immediate, automation automatically uses HKCU instead of HKLM so is quite safe there. I prefer it there, as not all users want the same add-ins. Obviously, one could use Active Setup instead.
Posted by:
captain_planet
14 years ago
Run in Immediate, automation automatically uses HKCU instead of HKLM so is quite safe there. I prefer it there, as not all users want the same add-ins. Obviously, one could use Active Setup instead.- Thanks for that.
Posted by:
charlie.deployer
14 years ago
I have been successful in adding the addin to excel thru active setup. According to the standards, how to uninstall the added plugin. I have a .vbs to uninstall.If I put that as a CA, its not working. How to uninstall the added addin by active setup?
Posted by:
jinxngoblins
14 years ago
Posted by:
anonymous_9363
14 years ago
Nah, wrong approach. ALWAYS use XL Automation for add-ins, be that adding or removing.
The script quoted looks almost identical to the one available here on AppDeploy. The post containing it also has one for removal (which is again almost identical to the adding script, except that it sets the add-in's 'Installed' property to False).
The script quoted looks almost identical to the one available here on AppDeploy. The post containing it also has one for removal (which is again almost identical to the adding script, except that it sets the add-in's 'Installed' property to False).
Posted by:
jinxngoblins
14 years ago
Thanks Ian for your suggestion.. Unfortunately I have never worked on XL automation before... can you pls let me know how do I use this? and, where can i find it?
Posted by:
cygan
14 years ago
ORIGINAL: jinxngoblins
Thanks Ian for your suggestion.. Unfortunately I have never worked on XL automation before... can you pls let me know how do I use this? and, where can i find it?
it's all here if you did a search
http://itninja.com/question/excel-addin-removal-from-all-the-users-profiles&mpage=1&key=bheers䱯
Posted by:
charlie.deployer
14 years ago
ORIGINAL: Crazy8
You could create a vbs file, copy the file locally when you install the mst, then run an active setup script to run the vbs file when each user logs in again.
Hi Folks,
the above method works like charm during installation. Works in the way I want to be during install. I have problem with uninstall. Once after uninstall, if I open excel, it shows that the path to the particular excel is not found and the addin is loaded in Tools---->Addin. There the addin is check marked. Please help me in this issue. If my software is uninstalled the addin must be uninstalled too. I used Active Setup during installation.
Thanks in advance.
Posted by:
anonymous_9363
14 years ago
I bet people roll their eyes when I say that scripting is easy but that good scripting isn't. Well, here we have a prime example.
For each installing Custom Action, you should create a companion uninstalling Custom Action, conditioned to run only on uninstall (REMOVE~="ALL"). Of course, for stuff which gets into HKCU, it gets tricky, since most people choose the Active Setup (AS) route without really thinking about uninstalling.
The AS scripts I use for HKCU-targeted objects check the ProductState using the WindowsInstaller.Installer object and, if the product isn't present, checks for the HKCU stuff. If the HKCU stuff is still present, it gets removed. If the product is present, but the HKCU stuff isn't, then the HKCU bits get installed. And, as usual, before anyone asks, no, I won't be publishing/sending/posting an example. Sorry: been burned in the past.
For each installing Custom Action, you should create a companion uninstalling Custom Action, conditioned to run only on uninstall (REMOVE~="ALL"). Of course, for stuff which gets into HKCU, it gets tricky, since most people choose the Active Setup (AS) route without really thinking about uninstalling.
The AS scripts I use for HKCU-targeted objects check the ProductState using the WindowsInstaller.Installer object and, if the product isn't present, checks for the HKCU stuff. If the HKCU stuff is still present, it gets removed. If the product is present, but the HKCU stuff isn't, then the HKCU bits get installed. And, as usual, before anyone asks, no, I won't be publishing/sending/posting an example. Sorry: been burned in the past.
Posted by:
PackageExpert
14 years ago
ORIGINAL: VBScab
The AS scripts I use for HKCU-targeted objects check the ProductState using the WindowsInstaller.Installer object and, if the product isn't present, checks for the HKCU stuff. If the HKCU stuff is still present, it gets removed. If the product is present, but the HKCU stuff isn't, then the HKCU bits get installed. And, as usual, before anyone asks, no, I won't be publishing/sending/posting an example. Sorry: been burned in the past.
That's excellent because I've encountered in the past that these AS scripts, if not authored to run silently, may cause additional issues if the HKLM registry doesn't get removed on uninstall. But that again comes back to good UAT testing. I'd be interested to try figure out how to do this script with clues like "ProductState",WindowsInstaller.Installer object" even though it's general. Anyway impressive solution you have!!
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