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NOTE: This project is a stub for future work, and the description below gathers some ideas. The Add-In Manager has not been implemented yet. If you want to work on this project, please get in touch with me at govert@icon.co.za

-Govert

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The Excel-DNA Add-In Manager makes it ease to distribute, install and update Excel add-ins.

• The Add-In Manager client add-in provides the ability to locate and load add-ins into Excel.

• The Add-In Gallery is a central add-in repository.

Feature notes

• Installer for the Add-In Manager - deals with bitness, .NET framework.

• Add-In specification, packing tool etc.

• Multiple sources, including private hosted sources.

• Multiple tracks (e.g. pre-release)

• Security, control, tracking.

• Shared libraries & versioning

• Add-ins may include:

  • Native or mixed code - 32-bit & 64-bit

  • Lightweight add-ins that are just source or just a single library, using declared / implicit compiler and Excel-DNA version.

  • Workbooks may declare dependencies on add-ins (how to deal with conflicts?)

First experience

• The Add-In Manager client is downloaded as an .msi, and installs an Excel add-in.

• There is a new button on the Add-Ins tab to show the Add-In Manager.

• The Add-In Manager shows a list of add-in from the add-in gallery.

• Selecting an add-in will download it (maybe the right 32-bit/64-bit version) to a local cache and load it in Excel.