Tip:

How to install an Excel Add-In using Visual Installer
 
Logotype - Microsoft ExcelThe Visual Installer installation tool can be used to install an Add-in to Microsoft Excel. This is very easy done in Visual Installer because there is a built-in functionality in the setup tool to handle this. There is no need to write complex script lines for this; you only need to add a single line (!) to the text editor in the Registry tab in Visual Installer for every Excel Add-in that you want to install. In this step-by-step tip we will show you exactly how to achieve this.
 
 
How to install an Excel Add-In using Visual Installer:
 
1. Start Visual Installer and create a new project.
  
 2. Add your Excel Add-in to the file list by clicking on the + sign in the toolbar in the File list tab. In our example we have added an Add-in with the filename MyAddIn.xla to the file list:

The 'File list' tab in Visual Installer - With an Add-in added to the file list
 
3. Enter a project name in the Project name text box.
  
 4. Enter a main destination folder for your Add-in file in the Main folder text box. You can install the Add-in file in which folder you want on the hard disk, but in our example we will use the following destination folder:
  
 %PROGRAMFILES\MyAddins
  
5. The File list tab should now look similar to:

The 'File list' tab in Visual Installer - With a project name and main folder specified
 
6. Now we will switch to the Registry tab. Click on the Registry tab to open it up.
  
 7. Enter the following line in the text editor in the Registry tab:
  
 XLADDIN=%DESTDIR\MyAddIn.xla
 
(You can replace the file path (%DESTDIR\MyAddIn.xla) with a file path to your own Add-in)
 
8. The Registry tab should now look similar to:

The 'Registry' tab in Visual Installer
 
9. Save your Visual Installer project file.

10. Create a setup package via the File - Create setup package menu item.
 
 
You have now created an installation package that installs an Excel Add-in into a Windows computer that have Microsoft Excel installed.  
Note. Visual Installer can install both .XLA and .XLAM Add-ins. 
 
Visual Installer can install the Add-in to all versions of Microsoft Excel from Excel 97 to Excel 2019. Visual Installer will automatically detect which version of Microsoft Excel that is installed, and register the Add-in information in the correct key in the Windows Registry.
 
 
Related information
  
We recommend you also to read this informative blog post written by Dennis Wallentin on his VSTO &.NET & Excel blog. He gives some more details about how to use Visual Installer to install an Excel Add-in:
  
Install and Activate Add-ins in Excel with SamLogic’s Visual Installer
  

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