I am developing/testing an Excel Add-In. I added it to the desktop version using the "shared folder catalog" process outlined here:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/dev/add-ins/testing/create-a-network-shared-folder-catalog-for-task-pane-and-content-add-ins
I updated the manifest XML for new ribbon commands, but Excel is not updating. I am unable to update/remove/reinstall an add-in installed from the "Shared Folder". I tried removing the add-in catalog and re-adding it in Trust Center Settings, but that did not work.
It is caching your manifest. Try bumping the version number in the manifest. This will alter Excel that it's cached manifest is no longer valid.
If bumping the version doesn't trigger the update, you can manually clear your cache by deleting the contents of %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Wef\. For non-Windows environments, see Testing & Troubleshooting in the Office.js documentation.
The solution to this was pressing the Refresh button in the top-right corner of the 'Office Add-Ins' dialog.
The answer below by #marc-lafleur hints in the right direction: it is about caching. But it is not the Wef folder you have to empty, it's the Temporary Internet Files as Office actually uses IE to display the JS add ins and such everything is loaded from the IE's cache.
For dev, it might be best to just disable it.
Related
Does anyone have experience updating existing Task Pane add-in, and know the correct procedure to replace / update existing add-in, to ensure latest version is loaded when re-inserted into a workbook?
I am currently in process of developing and testing aTask Pane add-in for Excel for iPad. I am able to successfully sideload the initial .xml manifest file through iTunes and add the app to a workbook via the Insert->Add-in menu. When I make changes to add-in backend HTML/ JS code however, and attempt to update to later version by deleting and re-sideloading the manifest file via iTunes, more often than not, the previous version Task Pane add-in keeps getting displayed.
Occasionally the update works and reloads correctly when inserted into a workbook, however mostly, it doesn't and the previous version HTML is retained and displayed in the Task Pane.
I have tried deleting previous manifest file via iTunes, closing add-in from workbook, closing and restarting Excel before re-sideloading, inserting add-in to new workbook, even clearing cache in Safari browser via iOS settings, and rebooting iPad, however cannot determine any consistent or reproducible procedure.
It appears that the add-in is being cached by Excel, however, cannot find any direct way to clear the cache to force the workbook to reload the updated HTML file referenced in the .xml manifest file.
Appreciate any guidance on cause and correct procedure to update existing add-in with Excel for iPad.
The easiest way of making sure that you have the latest version is versioning. If you have something like
<script src="xyz.com/abc.js">
Every time you load the app, even if the js is new, it might pick up from the cache. Instead try doing something like
<script src="xyz.com/abc.js?v=1.2">
Which now is seen as a different reference. Ideally automate the versioning on your js / css so you bypass the sticky cache when you update your add-in
I have been digging into this for quite sometime to no avail. Thanks for any pointers.
Lets say you have a simple VSTO excel add-in. In the publish properties, I have specified a publish location and an installation location for end users.
I click publish. Out comes a setup.exe, addin.vsto manifest and application files. I understand that I will eventually copy this to an install location specified in the properties.
The question is - where exactly the "installation folder url" end up?
I searched in the vsto manifest, resources in setup.exe and resources in the addin.dll etc.
Why I want to know is that at build time, I want to change the installation folder url. I tried passing a command line argument, but it seems that eventually when I publish a revision, the updates are not getting picked up on the end user machines. Now I am curious as to how this value that I enter in this dialog box is used by the publish process and where it ends up.
Thank you for reading and your time.
Answering my own question since I spent more than a week on this and it might be useful to others.
At least for the scope of the question - You are developing an excel VSTO addin
The installation folder URL that you specify in the publish properties of Visual Studio is not used. It might be used for document level customization, but not for application level add-ins.
Essentially when users install the add-in from an "installation folder url", the
value of that is entered into the registry under Office\excel\addins, and this how the add-in checks for updates.
I wish the installtion folder url is grayed out for add-ins so it is clear that it is not really used. But now you know
How can VBA help full, offline accessible documentation install into Microsoft Excel 2013?
I have tried to download this: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=40326, but I cannot open help sections.
I have already tried to modify my installation, but cannot find any options related to this in setup.
Trick to open the file is double click the file. One pop-up as per image shown below will appear.
Please uncheck the tick mark ie remove it in the check-box Always Ask before opening the file.Then open it. It will be opened with its contents. HTH
Edit :
I am able to open these documents by trick adopted by me. Screen shots shown here.
After opening Excel Developer Help File I am getting the index on the left side and selected page opened on the right side which can be fully navigated. Please let me know what you are looking for. Apart from this There is an opening page where references to web url's are presented.
In a connected world security updates are a fact of life for a Long time. Microsoft have done a mighty job of securing Windows starting with XP SP2 released in Aug 2004. Since then a string of updates have reduced the humble CHM to the status of a humble local help system. It's a shame but we have had to move on.
Please note and make sure downloading your CHM's to a local drive!
Because files downloaded off the Internet - including ZIP files and CHM files contained in those zip files - are marked as as coming from the Internet and so can potentially be malicious, so do not get browsing rights on the local machine.
A explicitly 'unblock' of your downloaded CHM file may solve your problem. Please try in Windows Explorer and in a local drive (!) before going the next installation steps for Office 2013:
Open Windows Explorer and navigate to your download folder
Find your CHM file
Right click and select Properties
Click the Unblock button on the General tab
Here's what the dialog looks like:
I remember (not sure) the Unblock button may appear in NTFS filesystems only.
I'm trying out the new style JavaScript based office add-ins and can't see how I can add the add-in launcher button to the ribbon.
I know that Command add-ins which can add tabs etc are not released yet, I'm just talking about a button that will launch my add-in.
It's a TaskPaneApp.
It seems to be possible because (in my version of office 16 at least) I can see that under the Insert tab, Wikipedia add-in has it own button in the Add-In group.
Currently I've just added a Shared Drive as a trusted location and am launching the app from there. As this is an internal app, it's likely to stay there.
Thanks
You just need to add some elements to your manifest file:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/EN-US/library/office/mt621545.aspx
Make sure you are using the latest version of Word, Excel or PowerPoint; it must be 16 or higher.
Also, make sure to use HTTPS requests.
The XML manifest is super sensitive.
Look for closing /> for all the tags, because you might be missing them somewhere.
You could also use this NPM module which is supported by Microsoft to validate your XML file.
Do any of you have advice on methods for deploying an office VSTO addin, especially Excel, that makes it easy to update and deploy the document as well as the addin.
I have a document level addin for Excel 2010 that I created using VSTO. I currently deploy it using click once. However, this has a few problems. The first problem is that I publish it to ftp then users install it from my website. Since the document and addin are downloaded from the internet, I obviously have trouble getting proper permission for the addin to run and the document to be trusted. Currently I just have users manually adjust permissions and grant access when the solution is installed. That part works and is fine, but if any of you have suggestions on how to automate this that would be great.
The second problem, the main one I am wanting help with in this post, is deploying updates. I generally like using clickonce because of its ease of installation and automatic update features. The solutions I develop are used in rapidly growing fast changing companies, which means I am often making updates. Click once makes it easy enough to update the "code" or addin itself. I just have it automatically check for updates when it is started, and if there are updates it will prompt the user to download them. But what about the document? My solution doesn't only include the code. It also includes the highly customized Excel workbook.
When the solution is initially installed a copy of the workbook is just downloaded to the local computer. But what about after it is deployed to dozens of computers? Does a document level change (adding a column for example) mean going to each computer and downloading the updated workbook manually?
Surely there is a better way to automatically deploy updated versions of the workbook. Any suggestions?
Here are a few ideas I thought of:
Use some installer other than clickonce. Any suggestion on one that allows easy automatic updates?
Somehow package the workbook as an application resource. I have actually done this in some situations, but not in cases where the document itself included a VSTO addin.
Related to the previous idea. Make a "wrapper" project that includes the workbook & VSTO addin. Then the addin would be launched by clicking on a regular icon on the desktop, which would download the workbook (if an update was needed) then open it in Excel. I would prefer that method of launch over simply opening the workbook anyway.
Note: No user data needs to be preserved in the Workbook when an update is done. The old version could simply be overwritten by the new one. The workbook gets all its data from an SQL server.
You could use a Visual Studio Setup Project which leverages Windows Installer. See this deployment walkthrough guide on using VSTO 4.0.
In Visual Studio 2012, support for Setup Projects is being deprecated in favor of InstallShield LE which is another alternative.