Software Deployment

Hi thien,
i would package this for itself.
The approach, i would take is this:
Install the Plugin in a subdirectory in the 'Program Files' folder.
Use a duplicatefiles entry in the MSI to copy it to each profile, with an active setup entry.
http://itninja.com/question/distribution-message21
http://www.ewall.org/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=print&ceid=23

The same could of course be achieved, by an Transform applied to the main Office.msi
But this most likely won't work with changes done in IS12 or AS8, because they make to many changes in the background.

Hope this gives you some ideas,
Regards, Nick

'******************************************************************************
' Filename: Addins-ExcelObj.VBS
'
' Description: Adds and activates Excel Addin
'
' Modification History:
' Author Date Version Changes
' ----------------- ----------- ------- ---------------------------------------
' Installpac Pty Ltd
' John McFadyen 20/04/2006 1.00 Created Script
'
'
'******************************************************************************

dim sobjArgs


set sobjArgs = Wscript.Arguments
intCount = Wscript.Arguments.Count


for i = 1 to intCount - 1
if sobjArgs(0) = "install" then
CreateAddin(sobjArgs(i))
else
RemoveAddin(sobjArgs(i))
end if
next

'********************************************************************************
' Function: Removes an excel addin (used during uninstall)
'
' Purpose : Remove an addin (duh)
' Returns : Currently null
' Inputs : strAddinName = addin name


Function RemoveAddin(strAddinName)

Dim objExcel, objAddin

set objExcel = CreateObject("Excel.Application")
objExcel.Visible = false
objExcel.Workbooks.Add
set objAddin = objExcel.Addins.Add(strAddinName, true)
objAddin.Installed = False
objExcel.quit
set objExcel = nothing
set objAddin = nothing

End function

'********************************************************************************
' Function: Creates an excel addin (used during install)
'
' Purpose : Create an addin (duh)
' Returns : Currently null
' Inputs : strAddinName = Path to addin file

Function CreateAddin(strAddinName)

Dim objExcel, objAddin

set objExcel = CreateObject("Excel.Application")
objExcel.Visible = false
objExcel.Workbooks.Add
set objAddin = objExcel.Addins.Add(strAddinName, true)
objAddin.Installed = True
objExcel.quit
set objExcel = nothing
set objAddin = nothing

End function

nheim,

thanks for your response. i started to do some research on "duplicatefiles" could you point me to some links on what "active setup" refers to? i found some links that seem to point to the fact that it had to do with "self-healing"

jmcfadyen,

thank you for posting your script. are you using this script inside of an *.msi? how is the *.vbs script handling the path to the plug-in? is that a part of "strAddinName"? is it assuming that the plugin is residing in the default position and you are merely passing as an argument the name of the add-in to remove or add?

Hi strcdply,
Here goes some useful links :

http://www.etlengineering.com/installer/activesetup.txt
http://itninja.com/question/how-do-you-roll-out-new-machines?0750
http://itninja.com/question/how-do-you-roll-out-new-machines?0751
http://www.appdeploy.com/messageboards/tm.asp?m=1995

As you can see, this site is plenty of info about it, please search for it before post an answered question :)

Hope it helps

KrisBcn

"As you can see, this site is plenty of info about it, please search for it before post an answered question :) "
no doubt; my apologies . thanks for graciously answering my question anyway.

yes the strAddin is the file path.

This is designed with the intention that the filename is parsed in as an argument.

For example run it as an EXE custom action as opposed to a vbs custom action.

This is because when you run a EXE custom action you can use arguments.

when using a vbs custom action you cannot.

So a CA such as

YourCA, 1058, wscript.exe [VbsPath]scriptfilename.vbs [#componentName] should do the trick.

the later [#componentName] assumes the excel file to be a keypath of a component.

Lookup "formatted" in the SDK for more details.

John