Developer Benefits:

1. Utilize key 2007 Office System UI features using VSTO and Office
2. RAD Design Expereince for building Office based apps
3. Build OBAs that leverage enterprise resources. The result being a more streamlined approach to tasks and processes. Mike advised how Elite Model Agency in New York created a new Outlook Add-In which allows user to graphical choose and select a model. Once selected, the models schedule appears in Outlook thus streamlining the process.

DEMO's:

1. Making a VSTO Project: EXCEL Add-In

Visual Studio > Create New Project > Office 2007/2003

Select Excel Add-In - this will build the infrastructure

In Excel 2003 and previous editions, by selecting help, a task pane would appear in the right hand side of the screen. Custom task panes can now be created in VSTO.

Create custom task pane > Add New Item > User Control > WinForm Designer appears

Place control i.e. NAME

Now go to Code VB via tab and insert snippet (Code previously saved)

Save > Build > Run Solution

Excel Opens and custom task pane opens

Excel Options > Add-Ins > Enable/Disable Add-Ins

   2.    Creating an OUTLOOK Add-In

In OUTLOOK, in the task list view, the user can create custom fields. If however you open a specific task, there is no user designed field. Office 2007 uses Applet Form Regions and VSTO uses a Wizard.

Go to Trust Centre > Add-Ins and delete previous Add-Ins

Visual Studio: File > New > Project > Outlook Add-In

Right click desired solution > Outlook Add-In > Form Region

Double click the form region and insert snippet

Save > Build > Run Solution

Open Outlook and user designed field appears in the specific task window

   3.    Created a Document Level Solution

Visual Studio: Create Excel Workbook Solution - Excel now appears inside VS

Add New Data Source > Database and choose either Oracle/SQL/Access

For the demo, Mike choose SQL

Click Test Connection

If successful, Retrieve Database Information

On left hand side, you can now choose specific Tables, Fields and Stored Procedures

Drag and drop onto Excel

Save > Build

Data Integrity is crucial so check in SQL to ensure correct data has been extracted into Excel

Insert button onto Excel and in code tab, insert snippet.

Mike created a NEXT and PREVIOUS buttons so that by pressing either, the user can see for example previous Customer ID or the next Customer ID.

These buttons can now be removed and a pane can be created.

Choose Binding Navigator in WinForm tab

Double Click > code tab will open and insert snippet

Set bindingsource=customerbindingsource

Show Custom Actions Pane

Save > Build > Run

The result is that you have now created a custom task pane which allows you to scroll through various customer data via:

< 1 of 90 >

Add Ribbon in Visual Designer in VS:

From Right-hand side, you can drag and drop data sources i.e. Fields or Tables onto EXCEL. Farewell to Pivot Tables! Also if you create a chart and place on a new sheet, as you scroll through the customer orders, it automatically updates :).

Deployment

User must have EXCEL, the DLL and vsto run-time on the machine. The new version of VSTO, enables the user to click one and downloads dll with data

The dll is seperate from Excel. Email the spreadsheet. Once opened it fires up. If you need a new applet in the solution, change the dll where the code is saved and insert new snippet. When spreadsheet is opened again, it will check for changes on the network.

The fact that the code doesnt live with the spreadsheet is important both from a security and maintenance perspective.

VSTO Definitions:

• Doc Level - specific to one doc/spreadsheet - useful in banking - security
• Application Level - custom task pane which applies to any document in the host

Resources:

Download VSTO 2005 SE

Click here for all you need to know on VSTO

Creating Custom Task Panes

Binding Data to User Controls in Excel

Download C# VS2005 Code Snippets