Sam asked if you could build custom task panes with VB.Net Express edition. The simple answer is no. However this question raises a deeper issue.
What are all the options when it comes to extending Excel (or any other office app for that matter). Most of us know about XLA, XLL, DLL, etc but the .Nety stuff is not as well understood. In an attempt to shed some light on all of the options I have tried to make a simple table weighing up the options I’ve also bugged VB6 and Delphi in at the end just to help compare the options.
I should point out that I haven’t even used some of these technologies myself, so I’m not suggesting this is the definitive answer, but I think it’s a fair reflection, and I can tell you that I’ve not be able to find anything else like this on the net, so this is a World Exclusive!!!
Heres the PDF wall chart!!!!
Related posts:
Nice job. Wouldn’t it be great if there was a single solution that was pretty good all around?
yep it sure would, i think that VB6 is the best option at the mo, but it’s a shame that the .Net size has not bee done a)better, and c)made more avilable
Nice job Ross – and welcome back to blogdom
Have you tried REAL basic? hmm actually I don’t know if it does com.
Ive got a (rough) excel options pic here:
http://www.codematic.net/excel-resources/Other-Excel-Resources.htm
and an add-in type chart here:
http://www.codematic.net/Excel-development/Excel-Visual-studio/visual-studio-excel.htm
I had completely forgotten about VSTA till I read it here, in fact I read it as Vista the first time through. I wonder what on earth happened to it?
I agree, VB6 is still the best option in the Office area, even unsupported – thats pretty damning of everything since.
Not sure what has happen to VSTA its a joke!
Not tried RB, had a little look just now for a com adin with RB, not sure that RB does COM, which is strange!
Cheers
Ross
Ross,
Thanks for this post.. it clears up all the confusion I had with VS, VSTO, VSTA…..
Correct me if I am wrong… but if I want to create a Com Addin or a Custom Task Pane or an XLL there is no FREE product that lets me do it…. I have to Buy Visual Studio and then load VSTO or VSTA….this so wrong…
Hi Sam,
XLL can be done for free 100%, I intend to do a post some time – maybe next month when I’m on holiday, but XLL are hard to write.
Custom task pane – no way that I know off for free.
Com addin, unmanged, no, you need VB6, or Office Dev, or some other Com capable product (such a delphi), so no free way that I know of.
A managed com addin can be done with VB express, but it’s can be shimmed, and is quite hard to do.
There is a way to get .Net code running like an addin (i.e has a interface to Excel) but agian this is unshimed, but it is free!
I can do a post on this if you like?
Cheers
Ross
Maybe whenVSTO hits the streets there will be a “free” way to use, ,Net in you office apps.
Greetings! Nice chart. While I no longer work with Excel, I like to read about it. I noticed a few minor changes that should be made, but couldn’t find a way to email you the changes via attachment. If you want, you can contact me at:
exegete77
AT
gmail
DOT
com
(aka, shades)
Blood pressure cuffs….
Causes of low blood pressure….
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