Question

Using DCOM to invoke EXCEL over the internet

Asked by: garyz31

I've created an ASP.NET application on a development server that uses the EXCEL object library to create an EXCEL workbook, populate it with data, format it, save it to a location within the virtual directory, and ultimately redirect the browser to the EXCEL file.  It all works very nicely.

Is it likely that I'll be able to deploy this application on a hosting service?  Is EXCEL licensed in such a way that hosting services won't be able to allow me to use EXCEL in this way?  Do hosting services typically have EXCEL installed on their web servers?  Does anyone know of a hosting service that will allow me to deploy an application of this type?

Thanks

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Asked On
2005-06-21 at 06:36:23ID21465412
Tags

dcom

,

excel

,

internet

,

using

,

web

Topic

Programming for ASP.NET

Participating Experts
1
Points
100
Comments
9

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Answers

 

by: JoshDalePosted on 2005-06-21 at 08:01:41ID: 14266561

It sounds like you will need to host your own servers if you would like that functionality. I don't know of alot of hosts that will allow applications on their servers other than that of Asp.net and a database, or allow that much access to systems other than your website.

Depending on your budget you can get your own dedicated server for pretty cheap these days.
http://www.ev1servers.net/english/index.asp

 

by: garyz31Posted on 2005-06-21 at 08:05:58ID: 14266621

But what sort of license fee would Microsoft charge me to use Excel in that way?  Would they charge an astronomical amount because Excel is creating files to be served to the web?

 

by: JoshDalePosted on 2005-06-21 at 08:24:42ID: 14266841

http://download.microsoft.com/download/1/2/5/12538ba0-3d24-4f00-aab1-dd9ff4aacfc9/en_client_eula.pdf
I didn't see anything in the EULA that would restrict you using their components on your website.

 

by: garyz31Posted on 2005-06-21 at 10:48:36ID: 14268452

At least for now, I suppose I'll put an EXCEL file on the server and manipulate the data through ADO.NET, and accept that, on the hosted version, the formatting won't be there.

 

by: garyz31Posted on 2005-06-21 at 13:25:48ID: 14269973

I found a hosting service in India that will let me do the DCOM thing.

 

by: JoshDalePosted on 2005-06-21 at 13:31:15ID: 14270036

That is cool, but unless your customers are in India, I wouldn't recommend that. I think your best bet would be to lease a dedicated server for $120/mo

 

by: garyz31Posted on 2005-06-21 at 13:36:17ID: 14270113

I had thought about that also.  The indian site is so cheap that I'm thinking of using it only as an application demonstration site, and keep my main site with a US hosting service.  What do you thing of that strategy?

 

by: JoshDalePosted on 2005-06-21 at 14:04:28ID: 14270464

That sounds good, I would be careful with cheap hosting though, I have paid for a couple of providers only to get burned. Now I host my own servers. I would highly recommend it if the price is right.

 

by: garyz31Posted on 2005-06-21 at 15:34:06ID: 14271180

It looks like dedicated hosting would run about 200 per month, a little more than I want to pay right now.  The indians are offering me a 500 MB / ASP.NET / SQL Server plan for $125/year.  It is inexpensive, but not so cheap (I think) that it it a given that I'll get burned (I hope).  I think I could get something similar in the US for that price, but they wouldn't let me do the DCOM thing.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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