Excel Addin Install via Registry

[CG]

I am trying to install an Excel addin via a logon script.

I believe I have figured out how to get it installed except 1 problem. In
the below registry entry, how do you determine the X?

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Excel\Options
String: OPENx

 

[Jon Peltier]

Loop through all of the OPENx keys, then create a new key with the next
highest x.

Don't forget to delete this key when the add-in is uninstalled.

- Jon

 

[Steve Yandl]

Try something like what I've got below. Since you said, "logon script", I'm
assuming this will be part of a vbs file. If you use it as part of a VBA
sub, you would want to add a few things, for example, setting objects to
nothing after use. The only reason I create the object, 'objXL' was to
check the version number. If you know all the PCs have version 11.0 of
Office, you can skip that and still know you're looking at the correct
registry key by replacing 'objXL.Version' with "11.0".

_________________________

Const HKEY_CURRENT_USER = &H80000001

strComputer = "."

On Error Resume Next

Set objRegistry = GetObject("winmgmts:\\" & _
strComputer & "\root\default:StdRegProv")

Set objXL = CreateObject("Excel.Application")

strKeyPath = "Software\Microsoft\Office\" _
& objXL.Version & "\Excel\Options"

objRegistry.EnumValues HKEY_CURRENT_USER, strKeyPath, _
arrValueNames, arrValueTypes

a = -1

For i = 0 To UBound(arrValueNames)
If Left(arrValueNames(i), 4) = "OPEN" Then
a = a + 1
End If
Next

If a = -1 Then
strNewVal = "OPEN"
Else
strNewVal = "OPEN" & CStr(a + 1)
End If

MsgBox strNewVal
_________________________

Steve Yandl

 

[RB Smissaert]

There could be a problem if there are multiple Office versions and maybe you
better of to install via automation.

RBS

 

[Steve Yandl]

Below is a slightly different approach (still a vbScript as opposed to a VBA
subroutine) where I use the "Excel.Application" object to not only determine
the version of Excel installed but to also confirm that the add-in to be
installed is present in the appropriate location on the PC and that it isn't
already installed rather than checking those things reading the registry
with WMI.

The first line of the script needs to be edited to the file name of your
add-in. If the add-in is located and if it isn't already installed, the
script uses WMI to write the new registry value and the add-in gets
installed.

Steve Yandl

_____________________________

strAddIn = "CleanHyper.xla"

' Make sure the add in is present in the file system
' Check if it is currently installed or not
' Check the version number of Excel on this PC

Set objXL = CreateObject("Excel.Application")

bExists = False
bInstalled = False
intAtotal = 0

If objXL.AddIns.Count > 0 Then
For a = 1 To objXL.AddIns.Count
If objXL.AddIns(a).Name = strAddIn Then
bExists = True
If objXL.AddIns(a).Installed Then
bInstalled = True
End If
End If

' Count total installed add-ins
If objXL.AddIns(a).Installed Then
intAtotal = intAtotal + 1
End If
Next
End If

strVersion = objXL.Version

Set objXL = Nothing

' Exit script if add-in file isn't available on this PC
If Not bExists Then
MsgBox strAddIn & " wasn't available on this PC"
WScript.Quit
End If

' Exit script if add-in is already installed
If bInstalled Then
WScript.Quit
End If

' Made it this far, install the add-in

If intAtotal = 0 Then
strValName = "OPEN"
Else
strValName = "OPEN" & CStr(intAtotal)
End If

Const HKEY_CURRENT_USER = &H80000001

strComputer = "."

On Error Resume Next

Set objRegistry = GetObject("winmgmts:\\" & _
strComputer & "\root\default:StdRegProv")

strKeyPath = "Software\Microsoft\Office\" _
& strVersion & "\Excel\Options"

objRegistry.SetStringValue HKEY_CURRENT_USER, strKeyPath, _
strValName, strAddIn

 

[Jon Peltier]

I've used a VB6 routine (too long to post here) that looks for registry keys
9.0, 10.0, 11.0, and 12.0, and installs the appropriate OPENx keys in
whichever it finds. No need for the delay in creating the Excel instance
(especially if it's 12.0).

- Jon

 

[Steve Yandl]

Jon,

I was so focused on helping the OP be able to find the x for 'OPENx' that I
didn't take the time to read the VBA help for AddIns. While the Add method
only makes an add-in part of the available list, you can simply set the
..Installed property to True to install it. I have not tested but I suspect
that will be as fast or faster than using script to write to the registry,
even though it does involved creating the Excel instance.

Steve

 

[Jon Peltier]

Nope, I've done it both ways, and the VB or other script runs much more
quickly (way under a second) than opening an Excel instance (several seconds
or dozens of seconds). Using the Excel instance is easier, because then you
don't have to figure out what registry entries you need, but it's much
slower.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
Peltier Technical Services, Inc. - http://PeltierTech.com
_______

Jon,

I was so focused on helping the OP be able to find the x for 'OPENx' that
I didn't take the time to read the VBA help for AddIns. While the Add
method only makes an add-in part of the available list, you can simply set
the .Installed property to True to install it. I have not tested but I
suspect that will be as fast or faster than using script to write to the
registry, even though it does involved creating the Excel instance.

Steve