Can ExcelDNA addins be deployed as a single file.

[John Lonergan]

In my old C++ XLL I deployed a single file - the XLL.

In Excel DNA is the same true/possible
OR
do I need to deploy the ExcelDNA.xll file plus some .DNA files plus
any C# libraries I use?

Thanks John

[Govert van Drimmelen]

Hi John,

Firstly, I think ExcelDna add-ins will always require the .Net 2.0
runtime to be installed separately. Current versions of ExcelDna
should give a nice message if .Net is not found. I expect .Net 2.0 to
be ubiquitous eventually.

To enable having a single .xll file for the rest of the add-in is part
of the internal design, but not fully implemented yet. My plan is that
your .dna file (effectively the manifest) and any referenced
assemblies can be packed into the .xll as resources, and retrieved
into memory as needed at runtime. The main ExcelDna assemblies are
already stored and used in the .xll file this way.

Some add-ins based on ExcelDna do the whole packaging, but they have
modified ExcelDna a bit and they rebuild the ExcelDna .xll for their
add-in every time. I envisage a command-line tool that will 'pack-and-
go' your ExcelDna add-in. I can't guess when that will get done, but
it is certainly on my todo list.

If you want to implement this for your add-in, or have a go at
building the packing tool, I'm happy to help.

Regards,
Govert