Use attributes for XLL function descriptions - Part 2

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Use attributes for XLL function descriptions - Part 2
Support for attributes on XLL functions 
Jason Sobell




Posts: 18
 Joined: 2008-04-02
Yuri, if I add the attributes support, I will have to remove ADXExcelFunctionCategory component because it will no longer needed.
And it is not possible. I can only improve the design-time support only.
Anyway, thank you for the investigation. I will think it over.


The lack of support for these attributes was the primary reason we put off purchasing this library for so long.
We have libraries with 200+ functions, and we also have adapter modules that read the functions in our libraries (for use with other calculation engines) so attributes save us many days of work and remove the bugs introduced when the objects go out of sync with the function parameters.
The visual designers are very pretty, and make it incredibly simple to create your first functions, but in very large projects it ceases to be a feasible way of managing things.

It would not make sense to remove the ADXExcelFunctionCategory, as there are people who will continue to use this, but it makes perfect sense to support both methods.

Yuri, thanks for that code sample! Thanks to your example we have now bought this product and implemented your code in our solution for the time being, hopefully to be replaced with the built-in feature when it becomes available.

Cheers,
Jason
Posted 02 Apr, 2008 17:47:36 Top
Sergey Grischenko


Add-in Express team


Posts: 7233
 Joined: 2004-07-05
Hi Jason.

Thank you for choosing Add-in Express. I will try to synchronize XLL functions with the design-time components.
Posted 03 Apr, 2008 06:45:53 Top
Jason Sobell




Posts: 18
 Joined: 2008-04-02
Hi Sergey,

I wouldn't get hung up on providing a 1:1 link between attribute usage and the visual editor.
I believe these two features can remain independent, as users will generally choose one method or the other to publicise their functions.

The important factor is that you use objects to represent each UDF signature, so users can override or modify the declared functions after the Initialise method. This is a very nice and useful feature.

Cheers,
Jason
Posted 04 Apr, 2008 22:41:40 Top
Sergey Grischenko


Add-in Express team


Posts: 7233
 Joined: 2004-07-05
Hi Jason.

I am afraid it is not possible to modify functions signature because Add-in Express scans XLL functions regardless whether the signature is defined in the ADXExcelFunctionCategory component or not.
However, you can apply localized strings to the ADXExcelFunctionCategory items in the OnInitialize event handler.
Posted 07 Apr, 2008 07:32:52 Top