Order of Excel Add-ins.

[aaronfude]

Hi,

We have an automation add-in and a VBA add-in that depends on the
automation add-in and we just can't get the automation add-in to load
before the VBA add-in!!!

We've tried just about anyithing. Unloading them and loading them back
in (every time restarting Excel). Going to the registry, deleting the
OPEN* variables and then uploading the add-ins in the same correct
order again. Nothing works: they just switch back!!!

Is there a way to fix this problem? We are very desperate so any help
is appreciated!

Many thanks in advance!!!

Aaron Fude

 

[Charles Williams]

Why dont you get the automation add-in to open the XLA itself rather than
trying ti get Excel to do it for you?

Charles
______________________
Decision Models
FastExcel 2.1 now available
www.DecisionModels.com

 

[aaronfude]

Why dont you get the automation add-in to open the XLA itself rather than
trying ti get Excel to do it for you?

Charles

Actually, the automation add-in is the more stand alone thing of the
two. It provides some basic functionality that is useful in the absence
of the VBA addin and the VBA add-in uses it.

Would would work if the VBA could somehow make sure that the automation
add-in is loaded. But how to do that?!

Thanks!

Aaron Fude

 

[Charles Williams]

Your first post said that you want to load the automation addin before the
VBA addin, and your second post said you want to load the VBA addin before
the automation addin, so I am confused.

However the answer is still basically the same: if you want to control what
is loaded and in what sequence then write some code to do it instead of
trying to get Excel to do it for you: you could create a simple loader XLA
that is installed as an excel add-in so that when excel starts /closes the
loader XLA opens the real XLA and installs/uninstalls the automation addin
and runs an initialisation routine, in whatever sequence you want to do
things.

regards
Charles
______________________
Decision Models
FastExcel 2.1 now available
www.DecisionModels.com

 

[Michel Pierron]

Hi,
Change order of the OPEN keys in
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Excel\Options
10.0 is version of excel2002
Regards,
MP

 

[aaronfude]

OK,

The VBA add-in "depends" on the automation c# add-in. So the automation
add-in needs to be loaded first. Wha I was suggesting in the previous
email is that *if* the VBA add-in insists on being loaded first,
perhaps it could have some code that checks whether the automation
add-in is loaded and, if not, load it.

Also,

1. What Michel is suggesting simply does not work for me. Excel simply
rewrites the OPEN keys in the mentioned location.

2. I like the idea of a "simple loader" and I have several questions
about it.

A. Would you recommend that it is written in VBA?
B. How would I make sure that *it* is loaded first?
C. What's the command for loading an automation add-in?
D. What's the command for loading a VBA add-in?

 

[Charles Williams]

The key is to only have Excel itself load one addin (either an xla or COM
addin or Automation Addin or whatever), then that addin loads the other
ones.

An XLA addin is basically a hidden Excel workbook. You can open it like any
other workbook using Workbooks.Open without using the Excel.Addins
collection or going anywhere near the registry etc.

an automation addin is a different animal (its basically a DLL rather than a
workbook) supported only from Excel 2002 onwards, and needs to be installed
using regserver and Addins.Add.

so if the automation addin needs to be loaded first the simplest solution is
my first suggestion: do not have the XLA addin installed using Tools Addins
(ie no registry OPEN etc entries) just add some code to the automation addin
which opens the XLA addin when it needs to.

Or you could write a simple loader that installed the automation addin
(shell to regserver if needed then addins.add) and then opened the XLA, or
vice-versa.

If you want a more comprehensive example of an addin loader look at the
Automatically reversioning addin loader on my downloads page (but it only
handles XLA addins)

Charles
______________________
Decision Models
FastExcel 2.1 now available
www.DecisionModels.com

OK,

The VBA add-in "depends" on the automation c# add-in. So the automation
add-in needs to be loaded first. Wha I was suggesting in the previous
email is that *if* the VBA add-in insists on being loaded first,
perhaps it could have some code that checks whether the automation
add-in is loaded and, if not, load it.

Also,

1. What Michel is suggesting simply does not work for me. Excel simply
rewrites the OPEN keys in the mentioned location.

2. I like the idea of a "simple loader" and I have several questions
about it.

A. Would you recommend that it is written in VBA?
B. How would I make sure that *it* is loaded first?
C. What's the command for loading an automation add-in?
D. What's the command for loading a VBA add-in?

 

[aaronfude]

Hi, thanks for you help.

I think I'm only confusing you by trying explain what I need in greater
detail. And I'm still confused myself.

Basically, my c# add-in does not know that the VBA add-in exists.

So to make matters simple, i need this:

****** The VBA addin checks whether the c# add-in is loaded - and loads
it programmatically, if necessary.

What's the VBA for doing that?

Thanks again,

Aaron Fude

 

[Charles Williams]

Assuming you really do have an Automation addin rather than some other kind
of addin:

Basically, my c# add-in does not know that the VBA add-in exists.

Of course not, but its so easy: all it has to do is open it as if it was a
workbook ...

****** The VBA addin checks whether the c# add-in is loaded - and loads
it programmatically, if necessary.

something like this (not tested), where Myprojectname.classname is the
ProgId of your Automation addin

dim oAddin as addin

on error resume next
set oaddin=nothing
set oaddin=addins("MyProjectname.classname")
on error goto 0
if oaddin is nothing then
addins.add("MyProjectname.classname")
set oaddin=addins("MyProjectname.classname")
endif

if not oaddin.installed then oaddin.installed=true


Charles
______________________
Decision Models
FastExcel 2.1 now available
www.DecisionModels.com

 

[aaronfude]

Assuming you really do have an Automation addin rather than some other kind
of addin:


Of course not, but its so easy: all it has to do is open it as if it was a
workbook ...


something like this (not tested), where Myprojectname.classname is the
ProgId of your Automation addin

dim oAddin as addin

on error resume next
set oaddin=nothing
set oaddin=addins("MyProjectname.classname")
on error goto 0
if oaddin is nothing then
addins.add("MyProjectname.classname")
set oaddin=addins("MyProjectname.classname")
endif

if not oaddin.installed then oaddin.installed=true

Thank you, Charles!!! This code works!

Could you explain some of the terminology? Assume that my automation
add-in is registered.

Am I correct that in order for (set
oaddin=addins("MyProjectname.classname")) to work it must already be in
the list of Add-ins but not necessarily "clicked in"?

And that "oaddin.installed=true" is equivalent to "clicking it in"?


And as a final question. If my automation add-in is clicked to be
loaded when Excel starts, but my VBA add-in with your wonderful code
beats Excel to the punch, will Excel try to load it afterwards anyway
and if so will it cause an error?

Once again, thank you so much.

Aaron Fude

 

[Charles Williams]

The code looks to see if the addin is in the list, and if it is not in the
list it adds it.

Then if it is not installed from the list it installs it.

So the code should work regardless of the state of the automation addin
(assuming it is registered).


--
Charles
______________________
Decision Models
FastExcel 2.1 now available
www.DecisionModels.com