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
Related
I'm developing an Excel AddIn and faced one issue.
1st issue: When user inserts the AddIn to the Excel (web) - user needs
to click any ribbon command to start loading plugin files.
2nd issue:
When plugin already inserted, the files are being downloaded.
However, if user click any command before files downloaded, nothing
happens.
I can disable all commands and enable them when source code downloaded. BUT this not works when user inserts AddIn for the first time. He MUST click any command to start downloading source code.
Question: is there any solution to force load Excel AddIn source on initial insertion?
P.S.
Startup behavior works only for the next opening of AddIn. If manifest has something similar - would be nice to know.
Env: Excel (on the web), OfficeJS API, Shared runtime, windows (if it's matter)
P.P.S. The problem - user clicks on enabled button to open taskpane, but nothing happens (the downloading just started).
I have a spreadsheet shared on OneDrive that I maintain, which contains VBA code so it must be opened in the Desktop version. Whenever I open it directly (not through OneDrive) after updates have been made, I get the "Server File Updated A newer version is available" message.
Many of the users of this spreadsheet have it open for days on end, and therefore do not see the updates until they close and re-open it.
I am wondering if it is possible to implement some code that periodically checks OneDrive whether a newer version is available and trigger the "Server File Updated A newer version is available" pop-up, or at least force a close and reload of the spreadsheet.
This would be a great help for many reasons. Excel certainly does it well enough when I open the file, but I cannot find any way of re-triggering this check.
I hope that makes sense and a simple solution is available.
Darren :)
Solution
Open the windows application Office Upload Center (you can type this in the Windows 10 search to locate it.
Select Settings
Check mark Delete files from the Office Document Cache when they are closed.
This will stop this error happening in the future.
Click Delete cached files to correct the error for the current instance.
1) Search "Upload Center" in Windows 7
2) Upload Center => Settings => Check the box "Deleted files from office document cache when they are closed" and click "Delete Cached files
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.
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.