MDS 2012 Excel Add-in Issue

Question

In specifically Excel 2007, when I have the MDS add-in enabled and try to open a workbook from lets say an email attachment or Windows Explorer Excel opens, but not the workbook. If I disable the add-in then workbooks open without a problem. In Excel 2010 this problem does not exist. The majority of my users are on Excel 2007, so this issue is preventing me from deploying the add-in and starting to make wide spread use of MDS in my company.

Answer 1

Jon,

Thank you for reporting the issue. We will take a look.

Lynn

Answer 2

I am not able to reproduce the problem. Can you try this and see if you get any error messages:

In your environment variables (for example, see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310519), create a variable called VSTO_SUPPRESSDISPLAYALERTS and set to 0. Then if there are errors when Excel starts or an add-in loads, you may get a popup message with the error.

When this occurs, does the MDS add-in load properly? The workbooks that you are trying to load -- do they contain MDS data, or just any workbook? Is there data from other add-ins in the workbook? Can you note the typical OS and language settings where you are seeing this?

Thanks very much,

Lynn

Answer 3

Sry for the delay. Had to wait to be granted Admin rights to by laptop.

I added the Envrionment Variables and the error occured this morning, but I did not recieve any error messages. The screen shot belows shows how it loads. This is from trying to open a spreadsheet from Windows Explorer. The MDS add-in works fine from here. I am able to click the Master Data tab and connect to the MDS server.

I am running 32-bit Windows 7 Enterprise edtion.

Answer 4

Thanks Jon.

A few questions:

- has this repro'd on anyone else's machine?

- I see that the file name is not in the title bar in your image. But when you open the file, can you look in the Task Manager Applications and see if the file is actually open?

- If you open the same file after Excel opens (using Excel File | Open), does it appear? Does this happen too if you create a new, blank file, save it and try to open it in the same way?

- Since I could not repro I did some searching to see if other people are having similar issues. Did you by any chance happen to see this page:

http://smurfonspreadsheets.wordpress.com/2009/03/17/excel-2007-workbook-window-not-visible/

Do those symptoms seem the same? (sorry, the page is pretty long but there are several workarounds and fixes to try that might help uncover the problem.)

If you want to share a file so I can try to repro, you can put it up on SkyDrive and post the link. You can access it with your LiveID; go to https://skydrive.live.com/. Of course I am not asking you to post any private information!

thanks!

Lynn

Answer 5

-Yes, others experience the problem

-Task Manager does not show that the file is open, just that excel is running

If try to open a file from Windows Explorer and i ge the error depicted in the SS above, I close Excel, and try opening the file again it opens no problem.

When Excel opens as depicted in the SS above I am then able to open the file from the File Menu and can also start new workbooks.

Answer 6

Can you tell me what other add-ins are loaded? Maybe if I install them too I will be able to repro. If you disable all but MDS add-in, does opening the file succeed?

Thank you so much for taking time to provide this information.

Answer 7

The only other add-in I have enabled is the Send to Bluetooth add-in. Because of the envrionment I am working I am unable to disable it.

Do you think this could possibly be causing the problem?

Answer 8

This might be a longshot, but can you have a look at this and try it:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/211494

 

Answer 9

The Ignore other applications that use Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) check box was already cleared :(

Answer 10

Jon,

This issue seems similar to others I have been able to find forum posts about. I am trying to find a contact who can tell me more about diagnosing and fixing it. I realize that it would be inconvenient for you to effectively disable the ability to double-click excel files to open them!

Lynn

Answer 11

One of my users showed me this message and now I am getting it too. It is similar to the problem described in the link you provided me for a potential fix. It started occuring after I started playing with the Ignore other applications that use Dynamic Data Exchage (DDE) option.

Answer 12

You mentioned that this does not happen with Excel 2010 -- do you have both installed on the same machine? I don't know if you want to read this whole thread, but from it I see some things:

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/office2007deploymentcompatibility/thread/e45b1447-7d72-43ac-8b90-e96d274a1517

- uncheck the DDE option in Excel 2010 as well as 2007, if they are on same machine

- quoting from a post:

For people who DDE solution fails try this:

If you have Windows 7 32 bits go to program files --> microsoft office --> office 12 (or if you have office 2010 then go to office 14) --> right click on EXCEL.EXE --> choose Properties, then click on Compatibility tab and if you have anything checked in that tab uncheck it.

If you have 64 bits then instead of program files go to 'program files x86', the rest is the same.

- Some people on that thread found the issue fixed by changing the default printer.

- You might try "repairing" your Office 2007 installation.

- might be related to UAC or running as admin (search for UAC on the web page)

I am still trying to locate an internal resource to ask about this issue, but hopefully one of the above will unblock you.

Answer 13

I do not have 2010 and 2007 installed on the same machine in this instances. I tried the 32-bit fix and all the Compatibility check boxes were already unchecked :(

Answer 14

OK, one more doc I found:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918957

There are some additional KBs linked in it as well.

Answer 15

No, that didnt do it : (

I wanted to use the Excel add-in as an interface for my users to maintain some tables, but I am starting to consider just building a customer .NET application to handle the tasks.

This is another thread I started that has become a limitation in the add-in for me as well that is pointing me towards the .NET application

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/sqlmds/thread/aa5f12e4-4e67-4534-983e-11058d2801d6/