Hi all

I must develop custom Excel add-ins for clients. These need to be secure and
speed of execution is often a requirement. VBA is thus not always an option
to use. I want to create XLL files but I read somewhere this is not really
the way forward.

So, what development platform should I use to develop Excel add-ins?

Thanks

Create COM add-ins using Visual Basic.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de.../comaddins.asp
*******************
~Anne Troy

www.OfficeArticles.com
www.MyExpertsOnline.com


"Bliksem" wrote in message
...
Hi all

I must develop custom Excel add-ins for clients. These need to be secure
and
speed of execution is often a requirement. VBA is thus not always an
option
to use. I want to create XLL files but I read somewhere this is not really
the way forward.

So, what development platform should I use to develop Excel add-ins?

Thanks

If you have the Developer's Edition of Excel, or Visual Basic 6,
you can write a COM Add-In, which is essentially a DLL file. If
you are using Excel 2003 and have Visual Studio 2003, you can
write a VSTO (Visual Studio For Office) project linked to your
workbook.



--
Cordially,
Chip Pearson
Microsoft MVP - Excel
Pearson Software Consulting, LLC
www.cpearson.com


"Bliksem" wrote in message
...
Hi all

I must develop custom Excel add-ins for clients. These need to
be secure and
speed of execution is often a requirement. VBA is thus not
always an option
to use. I want to create XLL files but I read somewhere this is
not really
the way forward.

So, what development platform should I use to develop Excel
add-ins?

Thanks

Thank you

"Chip Pearson" wrote:

If you have the Developer's Edition of Excel, or Visual Basic 6,
you can write a COM Add-In, which is essentially a DLL file. If
you are using Excel 2003 and have Visual Studio 2003, you can
write a VSTO (Visual Studio For Office) project linked to your
workbook.



--
Cordially,
Chip Pearson
Microsoft MVP - Excel
Pearson Software Consulting, LLC
www.cpearson.com


"Bliksem" wrote in message
...
Hi all

I must develop custom Excel add-ins for clients. These need to
be secure and
speed of execution is often a requirement. VBA is thus not
always an option
to use. I want to create XLL files but I read somewhere this is
not really
the way forward.

So, what development platform should I use to develop Excel
add-ins?

Thanks

COM addins are not always faster that VBA addins, especially resolving
references to excel object(like ranges) can actually be *slower*. Do
not expect to see much improvement there. internal processing could be
faster though

That said COM Addins are far more secure.

XLL addins are only useful for creating custom *worksheet* functions
that need to be compatible with Excel 2000 and earlier(2002 and later
can have COM Addin worksheet functions). XLL worksheet functions *are*
fast however. Creating XLL's is an art in itself since they are basicly
modified DLL libraries usually written in C/C++.

DM Unseen

Thanks for the answer. So, if I understand you correctly, if I want to
develop worksheet functions and speed is an issue, I should create XLLs, even
for Excel 2002/2003?

However, if speed is not an issue, COM add-ins are better?

"DM Unseen" wrote:

COM addins are not always faster that VBA addins, especially resolving
references to excel object(like ranges) can actually be *slower*. Do
not expect to see much improvement there. internal processing could be
faster though

That said COM Addins are far more secure.

XLL addins are only useful for creating custom *worksheet* functions
that need to be compatible with Excel 2000 and earlier(2002 and later
can have COM Addin worksheet functions). XLL worksheet functions *are*
fast however. Creating XLL's is an art in itself since they are basicly
modified DLL libraries usually written in C/C++.

DM Unseen

Thanks for the answer. So, if I understand you correctly, if I want to
develop worksheet functions and speed is an issue, I should create XLLs, even
for Excel 2002/2003?

yes( although maybe asking someone to develop them for you would be a
better option, this knowledge is rapidly fading from the XL community
:(

However, if speed is not an issue, COM add-ins are better?

Yes

Dm unseen