 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeDiscussionsAccessExcelInfoPathOutlookPowerPointPublisherWordDirectoryUser Groups Related Topics Outlook ExpressInternet ExplorerWindowsMS Server ProductsMore Topics ... |
MS Office Forum / Word / Programming / June 2005Installation of VBA modules
Can someone please point me to an article or two, or give me pointers on the best practices to install VBA code into a users machine. This should be a close as possible to a shrink-wrap type installation where a competent technical person is not involved. THANKS! The principle is easy: the modules should be in an add-in, saved in Word's start-up folder. The tricky part is getting it there. If you really want shrink-wrap installation you use an installer application -- eg InstallShield, the VB Package and Deployment wizard, or one of the freebies. This method also has the advantage that your add-in is listed in the Control Panel 'Add/Remove Programs' and can be uninstalled. The main task in installation is to find the start-up folder. There are two possibilities: the start-up folder reported by Word itself -- somewhere under Documents and Settings\[User name]\Application data, which will make the add-in specific to the user who installs it; or under the Office progam folder, by default C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\STARTUP, which makes the add-in available to all users, but requires re-installation if they upgrade their version of Office. > Can someone please point me to an article or two, or give me pointers on > the [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > THANKS! > The principle is easy: the modules should be in an add-in, saved in Word's > start-up folder. [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > makes the add-in available to all users, but requires re-installation if > they upgrade their version of Office. I roll my own installation program to install templates. And I would NEVER clutter Add/Remove programs for the mere install of a Word template. For a straight template, no. But if it's an add-in with real functionality the user may will consider it an application, in which case it should behave in the same way as other applications. Also, if the add-in adds toolbars to Word, without an Add/Remove option the you'll get support calls from people wanting to know how to get rid of the toolbar when they don't need it any more... >> The principle is easy: the modules should be in an add-in, saved in >> Word's [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > Word > template. > For a straight template, no. But if it's an add-in with real functionality > the user may will consider it an application, in which case it should behave > in the same way as other applications. Also, if the add-in adds toolbars to > Word, without an Add/Remove option the you'll get support calls from people > wanting to know how to get rid of the toolbar when they don't need it any > more... In those cases, I add an uninstall to the setup program and/or menus. You seem to have a penchant for re-inventing wheels. Windows provides an entirely servicable, and well-understood, procedure for install and uininstall, that works well and requires minimal effort on the developer's part. What you're recommending is a great deal more effort, for a worse result. >> For a straight template, no. But if it's an add-in with real >> functionality [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > In those cases, I add an uninstall to the setup program and/or menus. On further reflection, I'm puzzled by your suggestion. You can't run code in an add-in to remove itself: you can't delete the add-in while code within it is running, because -- obviously -- the file is open and therefore locked in the file system. How do you do it? >> For a straight template, no. But if it's an add-in with real >> functionality [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > In those cases, I add an uninstall to the setup program and/or menus. > On further reflection, I'm puzzled by your suggestion. You can't run code in > an add-in to remove itself: you can't delete the add-in while code within it > is running, because -- obviously -- the file is open and therefore locked in > the file system. How do you do it? You can unload the add-in. So you don't uninstall after all. >> On further reflection, I'm puzzled by your suggestion. You can't run code > in [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > You can unload the add-in. Mark, The Add/Remove programs is the most logical place to do this. You must remember we have advanced from Windows 3.11. Last time I checked my installation list, it was quite big due to Windows Hot Fixes, so this area would not be particulary clean anyway. Regards, Ben > > The principle is easy: the modules should be in an add-in, saved in Word's > > start-up folder. [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > And I would NEVER clutter Add/Remove programs for the mere install of a Word > template.
|
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2008 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.