What is the best way to code UDF's for Excel using VSTO in VS 2008?

Are we still using an automation add-in through COM, or have they developed
a slicker way of exposing functions?

I noticed that if I'm using Excel Services (through SharePoint) that they
have a simple attribute that defines a function as an Excel UDF, as follows:
[UdfMethod(IsVolatile = true, ReturnsPersonalInformation = true)]

Is there something like that if you are not using SharePoint?

Everything still has to go via COM, but see
http://www.cpearson.com/Excel/Creati...nctionLib.aspx for examples of
creating a function lib in VB.NET.


--
Cordially,
Chip Pearson
Microsoft Most Valuable Professional
Excel Product Group
Pearson Software Consulting, LLC
www.cpearson.com
(email on web site)





"ma1achai" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:85496DEA-7F5C-4BE5-A6BE-(E-Mail Removed)...
> What is the best way to code UDF's for Excel using VSTO in VS 2008?
>
> Are we still using an automation add-in through COM, or have they
> developed
> a slicker way of exposing functions?
>
> I noticed that if I'm using Excel Services (through SharePoint) that they
> have a simple attribute that defines a function as an Excel UDF, as
> follows:
> [UdfMethod(IsVolatile = true, ReturnsPersonalInformation = true)]
>
> Is there something like that if you are not using SharePoint?

Thanks for the reply Chip. I was hoping that VSTO had made some sort of
evolutionary step forward and had a better way to do this now...

Also, when using the code:

<ClassInterface(ClassInterfaceType.AutoDual), ComVisible(True)> _
Public Class ExcelDivision

End Class

....doesn't this also expose the System.Object methods to Excel? I haven't
tried it, but I read that in a blog post by Gabhan Berry
(http://blogs.msdn.com/gabhan_berry/a...D00_sharp.aspx).
I was trying his method instead, but am having trouble figuring out how he
gets Excel to see his Functions class as an automation add-in. I tried and I
do not see it show up in the list.

"Chip Pearson" wrote:

> Everything still has to go via COM, but see
> http://www.cpearson.com/Excel/Creati...nctionLib.aspx for examples of
> creating a function lib in VB.NET.
>
>
> --
> Cordially,
> Chip Pearson
> Microsoft Most Valuable Professional
> Excel Product Group
> Pearson Software Consulting, LLC
> www.cpearson.com
> (email on web site)
>
>
>
>
>
> "ma1achai" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:85496DEA-7F5C-4BE5-A6BE-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > What is the best way to code UDF's for Excel using VSTO in VS 2008?
> >
> > Are we still using an automation add-in through COM, or have they
> > developed
> > a slicker way of exposing functions?
> >
> > I noticed that if I'm using Excel Services (through SharePoint) that they
> > have a simple attribute that defines a function as an Excel UDF, as
> > follows:
> > [UdfMethod(IsVolatile = true, ReturnsPersonalInformation = true)]
> >
> > Is there something like that if you are not using SharePoint?
>

ok... it does look kie the System.Object methods are expoed as well... I can
see the following three in the Functions Wizard under my functions category:

Equal
GetHashCode
GetType
ToString

I can get rid of almost all of them by overriding the method and applying
the [ComVisible (false)] attribute. However, GetType is not override-able.
Any ideas on that one?

I'm still wondering how that addin from the blog works...


"ma1achai" wrote:

> Thanks for the reply Chip. I was hoping that VSTO had made some sort of
> evolutionary step forward and had a better way to do this now...
>
> Also, when using the code:
>
> <ClassInterface(ClassInterfaceType.AutoDual), ComVisible(True)> _
> Public Class ExcelDivision
>
> End Class
>
> ...doesn't this also expose the System.Object methods to Excel? I haven't
> tried it, but I read that in a blog post by Gabhan Berry
> (http://blogs.msdn.com/gabhan_berry/a...D00_sharp.aspx).
> I was trying his method instead, but am having trouble figuring out how he
> gets Excel to see his Functions class as an automation add-in. I tried and I
> do not see it show up in the list.
>
> "Chip Pearson" wrote:
>
> > Everything still has to go via COM, but see
> > http://www.cpearson.com/Excel/Creati...nctionLib.aspx for examples of
> > creating a function lib in VB.NET.
> >
> >
> > --
> > Cordially,
> > Chip Pearson
> > Microsoft Most Valuable Professional
> > Excel Product Group
> > Pearson Software Consulting, LLC
> > www.cpearson.com
> > (email on web site)
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > "ma1achai" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:85496DEA-7F5C-4BE5-A6BE-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > What is the best way to code UDF's for Excel using VSTO in VS 2008?
> > >
> > > Are we still using an automation add-in through COM, or have they
> > > developed
> > > a slicker way of exposing functions?
> > >
> > > I noticed that if I'm using Excel Services (through SharePoint) that they
> > > have a simple attribute that defines a function as an Excel UDF, as
> > > follows:
> > > [UdfMethod(IsVolatile = true, ReturnsPersonalInformation = true)]
> > >
> > > Is there something like that if you are not using SharePoint?
> >