How to write a function for excel with c#

Question

Hello everybody is it possible to write a function for excel with c-sharp? I`ve found an interesting atricle which describes such a scenario (the url ) but it`s about visual studio 2005. I tried it with visual studio 2010 but it doesn`t work for me. Can anybody help me please! Wish you a nice day

Suthish Nair · Answer

Hi Sorry for posting so many links here an msdn working sample  try it and let us know. more

Chr leog · Answer

Hi @ Suthish Nair Fantastic link. This blog-post worked for me. I`ve looked for that description so long but i didn`t find it. Thanks very much Mr Suthis Nair and of course all others too which you a nice week.

Chr leog · Answer

I want to create a function for my excel sheet. For example i want to create my own calculate()-function with c# and on my excel-sheet i want to write in a cell (eg A1) calculate() ... and it should return the value ... And the article says ( url )  that i should create a class library. @static library is not a DLL and an add-in must be a DLL. Yes I know ;) (it was only to show that i already have a bit knowledge and i didn`t want to say that a static library is a dll)

Sam Hobbs · Answer

The difficulty is knowing what you know and don't know. It is difficult to provide specific and relevant answers to general questions. I can't give you an answer because I don't know the question. By definition of what an add-in is an add-in cannot be executed by itself. So the question remains: are you sure you need an add-in? One more thing: a static library is not a DLL and an add-in must be a DLL.

Chr leog · Answer

Hi that`s correct. I am a windows programming beginner but i programmed a long time with java and so c# is very easy for me. And that is the cause i want to programme an excel addin in this language (c#) and not vb because i don`t know anything about vb. Still I`m a Linux-User and not so experienced with MS I want to learn it. The article say i should use a Visual C# Class library. And that was the thing i did. I didn`t use an excelAddIn (there are still project-samples for excel but i used the visual c# class library). And of course a class libray is either static or dynamic (dll) (references on my c++ knowledge). And i also knew that i can`t run a class library such as an excecutable. But when i tick the checkbox  Register for COM Interop i don`t know what`s happening with the library. Can i execute it or not (apparently not :) ... I would be pleasant if you give me an answer (I know beginners are exhausting sometimes and they should learn basics first but this is a thing i want to deal with)

Sam Hobbs · Answer

Since you say that F5 is to compile I assume you are not experienced with Visual Studio. I also assume you are not experienced with Windows programming. The problem is likely that you have chosen the wrong sample. You have chosen a sample that creates an Add-In and it sure sounds as if you don't need an Add-In. Have you looked at the articles in this web site?

Krishnendu Banerjee · Answer

The thing here is that once you build a class library you will get a .dll file which you can't run like an executable. You can use this dll file as adding a reference in any executable project like a windows application and after adding the dll you can use its methods and properties in your executable. Also you can check articles in the internet on how to use a windows .dll file in C# application.

Chr leog · Answer

I followed the article step by step but i have still problems with it. Step 1 say i should create a class library called ExcelAddin. Ok the output of this is a dll-file (not an executable). Afterwards I am following the instructions copy the c# code nto the class file. Next point is to run the code. The instructions say that i should build the ExcelAddin and press F5 (compile). When I press F5 visual studio say that the project can`t start beacause it`s a library not an executable. What is the problem here? In the article it says Build the ExcelAddin and press F5? Any clues? Sorry my os is Windows 7 Professional with .NET Framework 4.0. I`m using Visual Studio 2010

Chr leog · Answer

Ah now i think i understand. You mean the box that says that there is another article about .net 3.0. Thanks I will try it as soon as i can

Sam Hobbs · Answer

You probably are not using the Classic view for the MSDN. Try this; if you don't like it you can switch back. At the upper (way up) right do you see Preferences? Click on it and select the classic view. When you use the classic view you will see a box in the upper right area of the documentation that lists other versions that are available. Does that help?

Chr leog · Answer

Sorry but i don`t know what you mean. In the top right of the page i can change the style of the site (scripting classical view etc). Do you mean the link in the first paragraph: Interoperability Overview (C# Programming Guide) or ComRegisterFunctionAttribute ?

Sam Hobbs · Answer

Look again at the page that is for VS 2005; in the top right of the page is a link to another page; look at that.

Muralidharan Deenathayalan · Answer

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302084 http://www.dotnetspider.com/forum/534-Read-Write-excel-file-from-C.aspx http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en/csharplanguage/thread/4b8c7a76-db36-4f53-ab92-0b27faa65521