SHARING MACROS VIA ADD-IN (.xla) FILE

[Chuckles123]

Charles,

Thank you!

Why do you recommend not to store .xla files in the Microsoft AddIns
folder?

Thanks for the recommendation about the AddIn Loader software; I will
check with our network people.

I have had some success with Custom Buttons accessing the macros stored
in an .XLS file on our shared drive (I know this because, when the macro
security window (Disable - Enable choice) pops up, it displays the path
of the macro source. Curiously, when clicking-on Tools>>AddIns, there
is a check-mark next to the appropriate addin, and then, when clicking
on Browse, the path is to the addin stored in the Microsoft AddIns
folder on my C drive. This latter situation is due to 2 lines of code
I keyed in at the top of the primary macro (essentially, it places a
check-mark next to the appropriate addin on the Tools>>AddIns menu).
<<== weird combination, but it works. The next test is to see if it
works for other users on our network. When I find out, I will post
this thread.

Regards,
Chuckles123

 

[Alex J]

Chuck,
I've go to agree with Charles on this one, for sure. By not copying the
Add-In to the users lolcal Add-In directory, the Add-In is loaded direct
from a single copy on your server location. Makes life a lot easier for
modification and revision control.
The only downside I can imagine is when user is not server connected - but
that is an application specific issue.

Alex J

 

[Charles Williams]

Several reasons:
- the addins folder will be in different places on different systems/users,
so there will be problems with swapping workbooks between users (any
references to the xla and UDFs will point to the wrong place)
- You have lost control of the installation because you dont know where the
XLA is or how many copies there are.
- If you have any associated files that the addin references (workbooks,
help files, logs, initialisation files etc.) it is very difficult for the
addin to find them (the usual method of installing them in the same
directory or relative directory as the addin wont work)


Charles
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