Deployed add-in doesn't load

[Aale de Winkel]

I wrote an excel 2007 add-in with C# using VSTO and VS 2005.
The add in works fine when started from VS 2005 so I sought to deploy.
The manifest reads:

<assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1"
xmlns:asmv2="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v2" manifestVersion="1.0">
<assemblyIdentity name="WinPrefabExcelPane.dll" version="1.0.0.0" />
<asmv2:entryPoint name="Startup" dependencyName="dependency0">
<asmv2:clrClassInvocation class="WinPrefabExcelPane.ThisAddIn" />
</asmv2:entryPoint>
<asmv2:dependency asmv2:name="dependency0">
<asmv2:dependentAssembly>
<assemblyIdentity name="WinPrefabExcelPane" version="1.0.0.0"
publicKeyToken="67511199162933c1" />
</asmv2:dependentAssembly>
<asmv2:installFrom codebase="WinPrefabExcelPane.dll" />
</asmv2:dependency>
</assembly>

Trying to load this installed version however I get after trying to load
this "COM Add-in" the message:

Load Behaviour: Not loaded. A runtime error occurred during the loading of
the Com Add-in.

this is the first Add-in I try to deploy in this manner, so I currently have
no clue of what is wrong here. The location of the manifest is as expected,
but something seems to be missing.
As said, starting from VS the add-in works fine.

Please help.

 

[H.]

Hello Aale,
Firstly I do not have a solution, however maybe I can save you some time. I
am also having the same problem. However it works on other machines which
have VS8 on them. I am trying to build a VM which simulates a customer env
which has the following products, and does not run (same error as you,
LoadBehaviour set to 2) :
..NET 1.1
..NET 2.0
MS Office 11 (2003)
Office 2003 PIAs (my add-ins are Word/Excel 11).

The list of products on the test machine which does run them includes:
KB898461
KB915800
KB915865
KB928089
MS Document Explorer
VS8
VSTO
VSTO runtime
VSTO SE
VSTO SE runtime
MS Exchange
Office 2003 PIAs

It had some Office 12 products which have been uninstalled.
I know that most of these are irrelevant but I cannot yet discount all of
them; I do not even know what Document Explorer is or who put it there!?
However, I was certain that installing the VSTO runtime, or the VSTO SE
runtime on the target machine would work - try this if you overlooked it.
Good luck and please let me know if you have a solution!!

Regards
Henry

 

[Aale de Winkel]

dear Henry

Problem doesn't seem to be whether or not VS8 is installed.
also on this development machine, the installed version of my Excell 2007
add-in doesn't work. When started from my main program from where my users
are supposed to start Excel from.
Using the installed add-in when program starts from VS8 is an option I might
look into.
Strangly enough, starting the "mainprogram" from the release directory
wherein it is compiled and starting Excell the Add-in loads?! However this
seems to be the compiled version of the Add-in and not the installed
version!??

I haven't a clue where the programs (Excell (?)) would obtain the
information to start the compiled Add-in!

Just some more information on the problem. VSTO / Office people might have
some idea. I'm a programmer in a production environment and the system should
be up and running asap, currently no user (without VS8) can even test the
system!

Henry, good luck with your attempt, but as said this machine has VS8
installed and it doesn't work. You perhaps start Excell directly, while I
start it indirectly, which might be the difference.

I reckon this thread continues!

Aale

 

[Aale de Winkel]

curious oddity.
Excell 2007 add-ins seem to be centering around .manifest files.
the "COM Add-in" interface of Excel 2007 one can Remove the installed (it
seems)
Add-in however for some peculiar reason the Add option does not offer the
option to reinstall a .manifest file (exe and dll are opted to search for).
The only way to reobtain the .manifest in the listed options is to
reinstall, which as said doesn't work.
So there is no way to try the version in my compiled directory this way.
Copying two .pdb files (from the compile release directory) into the
install-directory doesn't seem to help, didn't think so but heh at this point
I'll try anything.

Information anywhere about these .manifest files is curiously low, save some
listings in the two books. (I reckon since things ain't working as they
should!)