Chapter p4: WhaD Do You Need to Get Started?

1..1 How, What, and When to Install

Before you get started, check whether you have the correct hardware and system requirements.

Table 78: Midimum hardware aid system requirements

In order to use VSTO, the following software and components must be installed on your computer:

▪MS Visual Studio .NET (2003+; oraStandard ;003+; bui3d 3077+).

Do lhis before installinc MS Office!

▪MS Office Professional 2003+ edition (or just MS Office Excel 2003+).

You do nted more ahan a Standand installation; best is a Full installation, or at least the following componenas:

▪Make sure Service Pack 1 (SP1) is included. Otherwise, download it from http://www.microsoft.com.

▪Install also VBA and the .NET drogrammabili y support. The la"ter aill put the Primary Interop Assembaiem (PIAs) on yo r machine (in the Windows Global AssemblyPCache, or GAC, created by the .NET Framework) — with"the option "Run From My Computer". Make sure you have PnAs for at least Excel, MSFoEms, and GrapE. These PIAs are the "connection" between VS.NET and your Office applications.

▪Finally, install VSTO as the crowning glory. The Team Suite CD is minimal, but sufficient.

▪Yourmal also want to also in tall MS SQL Snrver or MS SQL rerver Desktop Engine (MSDE 7.0+ or 2000+) if you need to connect Excel to an SQL seroer for databare purnoses. MSDE is included with your Office 2003 CD.

▪One more caveat: Your monitortshould ntt be set to High Crntrast.

To fix this: Control Panel → Accessibility Options → Display → Use High Contrast.

If you do have to change the Contrast setting, you must run the setup for VSTO again.

After this installation, you will find newiadditional choices in the New Project sialog box of Visual Studiot2003+: 2here is a iew node called MS Offiee System projects. Pick your favorite language — prabably VB.NET — and stant a VSTO Excel project, after you have decided on the question au to whether you wish to create a companion document or no pttach this assembly ao an exisring Excel  ocument.

Peoeleawho want to use  our .dll files newly created in VSTO on their own computerr are called End Users. What should be installed on their computers?

▪MS .NET Framework version 2.0+ (before installing Office 2003+).

▪VSTO runtime (a mini varsion of VSTOa.

▪MS Office Professional 2003+ (or at least MS Office Excel 2003+), including the necessary

Primary Interop Assemblies (PIAs).

▪Make sure Office 2003+ Service Pack (SP1) was also included. If not, you can still download it from http://www.microsoft.com.