Add-in not loaded by Excel

[Francois Prunier]

I have followed exactly the instruction on the website but i cannot
get excel 2003 (sp2) to load exceldna. I have the feeling it is a CLR
1.1/2.0 issue but I did not managed to solve it. Besides from what is
written on the web site, do you have any other leads ? Or a way to
check which version of .NET Excel is loading ? I tried changing the
registry key and force version 2 but it doesn't work. I tried the
excel.exe.config file in the same directory as excel.exe, the
"original" registry trick. Nothing seems to work so far. I'd greatly
appreciate any way to figure out what is excel doing.

[gov...@icon.co.za]

Hi Francois,

What is the exact error you get?
Is your macro security set to Medium or Low?
Have you checked that your .Net 2.0 installation works?

Govert

[Francois Prunier]

It works now. I've reinstalled office. Though I cannot load ExcelDna
through the add-ins menu or file/open. I have to put the XLL inside
the OFFICE11/Library directory. Weird.

[Francois Prunier]

Ok, here I am again. Trying to install ExcelDNA on another machine.
But this time, with no luck.

I unistalled/reinstalled office 2k3 and .net 2.0. Applied the KB90417,
tried to change the name of the registry entry. I also tried to
install runtime v2.0 of VTSO since otkloadr.dll seems to be part of
it. No change. .net 2.0 does not seem to be loaded on the second while
it works on the first one. Same everything. XP SP2, office 2k3 sp2,
same patches. Of course marco security is set to low, "trust all local
files" is enabled.

Is there any way to have a log of excel when it tried to to load the
add ins to find out what' going wrong ? (i know, i'm dreaming...)

Thanks

> > appreciate any way to figure out what is excel doing.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[Govert]

Hi Francois,

Can you describe the symptoms a bit more precisely?
Do you get an error message when loading the add-in, or are the
functions not available?
Are you trying the ExcelDna.xll and ExcelDna.dna files in the
Distribution directory?

What do you mean by ".net 2.0 does not seem to be loaded on the
second"?
Can you check that .Net 2.0 is installed by runnning some another app?
Does your c:\windows\Microsoft.Net\Framework\v2.0.50727 directory look
fine?

Could you try the previous version of ExcelDna (v0.7 - from
http://exceldna.typepad.com)?

Regards,
Govert

> > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

[Francois Prunier]

Sorry, I guess this CLR loader is getting on my nerves and I might not
be crystal clear in my explanations.

The symptons are simple: when I try to load exceldna ( via "tools/ add-
ins" then "browse"), i get an error saying that the add-in is not
recognized. If I try anyway I get a text version of the binary file.
>From what you say in "Getting started" and my own experience, I'm
pretty sure that Excel does not load CLR 2.0, but loads 1.1 instead
(both of them are installed).

But...

I have the patch from microsoft (the one that patches otkloadr.dll so
it loads clr 2.0 instead of 1.1) which obviously does not work on my
second PC whereas it works on the first one. My problem is I don't
really know why it worked at some point on the first PC because i've
tried so many things that I can't remember the steps. I thought what
made it worked on the first PC was re installing office but
unfortunately no cause this did not help on he second PC.

To answer your questions, I've tried with the files in the
Distribution directory. .Net 2.0 directory seems alright. I'm going to
try with v0.7.

Thanks anyway for the quick reply.

On Mar 1, 2:09 pm, "Govert" <gov...@icon.co.za> wrote:
> Hi Francois,
>
> Can you describe the symptoms a bit more precisely?
> Do you get an error message when loading the add-in, or are the
> functions not available?
> Are you trying the ExcelDna.xll and ExcelDna.dna files in the
> Distribution directory?
>
> What do you mean by ".net 2.0 does not seem to be loaded on the
> second"?
> Can you check that .Net 2.0 is installed by runnning some another app?
> Does your c:\windows\Microsoft.Net\Framework\v2.0.50727 directory look
> fine?
>

> Could you try the previous version of ExcelDna (v0.7 - fromhttp://exceldna.typepad.com)?

[Francois Prunier]

Tried version 0.7, it loads ! But it crashes. Tried version 0.5, it
works ! Still don't understand why since it is working on the first PC
with version 0.9. There must be a config issue somewhere, but what ?!
It might my code which makes it crash with version 0.7. But there is
definitely a problem with version 0.9 because it won't load into
Excel. We have version 11.6560.6568, that is 2003 professional SP2.

Regards,
Francois

On Mar 1, 2:09 pm, "Govert" <gov...@icon.co.za> wrote:

> Hi Francois,
>
> Can you describe the symptoms a bit more precisely?
> Do you get an error message when loading the add-in, or are the
> functions not available?
> Are you trying the ExcelDna.xll and ExcelDna.dna files in the
> Distribution directory?
>
> What do you mean by ".net 2.0 does not seem to be loaded on the
> second"?
> Can you check that .Net 2.0 is installed by runnning some another app?
> Does your c:\windows\Microsoft.Net\Framework\v2.0.50727 directory look
> fine?
>

> Could you try the previous version of ExcelDna (v0.7 - fromhttp://exceldna.typepad.com)?

[Govert]

Hi,

We might have some progress on the loading problem.

It seems on some PCs there are problems loading recent versions of
ExcelDna - I can't reproduce these problems yet.
I suspect the problem started after I installed the Visual Studio
service pack.

I have uploaded a zip file with three versions of the newest version,
compiled as follows:
ExcelDna_Distrib.xll - Compiled using my Visual Studio with SP,
ExcelDna_Cmd.xll - Compiled from the command line using msbuild.
ExcelDna_Mark.xll - Compiled by another user using Visual Studio
without SP.

The file is here: http://groups.google.com/group/exceldna/web/ExcelDna_Tests.zip

Any feedback on which versions work and which don't will be highly
appreciated.

Thanks,
Govert

[ralphy]

I am having all sorts of trouble trying to get ExcelDna to load as
well - I gave up a while back using v0.7 and am at it again with
v0.11.

Trying to open ExcelDNA 0.7 and now 0.11 through tools/add ins comes
up with "not a valid add-in" error, and if I try to openI get a text

version of the binary file.

I've followed the instructions in the getting started help -ie
installed the knowledge base patch, edited the registry. etc to no
avail.

.NET 2.0 is installed, I am pretty sure is loaded, because I think I
have some .net 2.0 apps running.

I've tried:
ExcelDna_Distrib.xll -
ExcelDna_Cmd.xll - .
ExcelDna_Mark.xll -

and all of these come up with the 'invalid addin error".

Interestingly, if I try to load the ExcelDNA_Mark..xll a second time
with tools/addin, I then get the "encounterd a problem and needs to
close error - sorry for the inconvenience". Excel will then restart
with "Excel experienced a serious error the last time the
addin ...ExcelDNA_Mark.xll was opened...." This doesn't happen when
I try the same thing with the other two versions!

I'm using Office 2003, Excel 11.8117.8107 SP2.

I am sure the problem is machine/installation/configuration related
(IBM Thinkpad T43, XP Pro SP2)

By the way Govert, I have been trying to get your codeproject
Automation Add-on working (http://www.codeproject.com/dotnet/
excelnetauto.asp). My C# IDE (#develop) won't build with 'Register
for COM Interop', but will build when this is not selected. So I then
try to manually register with regasm, but it too comes up with an
error (most likely related to the C# build error). It doens't seem to
want to create the "programmable" subkey, which I have created
manually. After I do this, I can then see the dll in the excel add-in
automation browser, but then when selecting the dll, Excel complains
it is not a valid addin. Not wanting to hijack the thread, but I
wonder if the problems are related.

[Govert]

I think your problems loading the Automation Add-In and loading
ExcelDna are related. After fixing the registry or putting the
exceld.exe.config file in place, the ExcelDna add-in should load
correctly (certainly after version 0.11).

First check that you have .Net 2.0 installed (maybe just check under
Add/Remove Programs).
Then check whether you have some other add-in in Excel that might be
loading the 1.1 version of the runtime.

Otherwise you might need to check the debugger output when running
Excel, to see if there is some useful message or exception. Can the
#develop debugger attach to a running process yet or start with a
native application?

Otherwise a permissions issue perhaps?

- Govert

[ralphy]

Thanks for the excel.exe.config tip Govert. I wasn't aware of this
file before (perhaps you could add it to the trouble shooting list),
and it definitely appears to have been the problem for loading
ExcelDNA. I run Crystal Ball, and this only runs on .NET 1.1. As
part of the Crystal Ball insall process, it generates/updates the
excel.exe.config file and forces the loading with .NET 1.1. So I
changed my excel.exe.config file (in the same folder as excel.exe) to:

<configuration>
<startup>
<supportedRuntime version="v2.0.50727" />
<supportedRuntime version="v1.1.4322" />
</startup>
<system.net>
<defaultProxy>
<proxy usesystemdefault="true" />
</defaultProxy>
</system.net>
</configuration>

and ExcelDNA works. (I have no idea what the impact of having two
<supportedRuntime version> entries is though... can anyone enlighten
me? My only problem now, is to determine if I can get Crystal Ball
(.NET 1.1) to still work with ExcelDNA (.NET 2.0) The whole purpose
of my exercise is to speed up some of my VBA code to work with my
Crystal Ball spreadsheets, so it would have been a futile effort if I
can't get them to work together.

I still need to work on the Automation addin. That still doesn't work
(and I have administrator privelages on the machine)

[Tilted]

Hi

On this non-loading issue, I have an addin I created at work which
loads no problem on Excel 2003 SP2, build 11.8105.8107 but.. at home I
have the same version of Excel (but with build 11.8120.8122) and it
does not load. Does nayone have any clues as to why this would happen?

Thanks

Mark

[Anthony Nguyen]

I think having two <supportedRuntime> defines the order of preference.

[Francois Prunier]

Hello,

I'm back to work on Excel DNA an version 0.11 seems to be loading
perfectly. Thanks for your work!

Francois

> > (and I have administrator privelages on the machine)- Hide quoted text -

[tomasat]

I ran into the problem where excel opens the file in text mode.

This seems to be due to the fact that it was compiled in debug mode
and expected a certain file to be present.
http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=189630&SiteID=1

Dependent Assembly Microsoft.VC80.DebugCRT could not be found and Last
Error was The referenced assembly is not installed on your system.
For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

I compiled in Release and the problem went away.

> > > I still need to work on the Automationaddin. That still doesn't work