Enhancing the Add-In

Please attach the add-in, and I will have a look.

dev00790: With enhancing the Add-In, I meant general suggestions. If you see the other thread, then you will understand what I mean.

Sid

Sid,

I realise it's stating the obvious but make sure it's been thoroughly tested by potential users before you release it.

Patrick

Aiki

Thanks for the suggestions.

1) As discussed in the previous thread, currently a common activation ID can not be used globally since the Installation ID will always be different.

2) I couldn't understand point 2. Could you please elaborate on this?

3) Hmm, I have already thought of that. Right now the Nag screens can really make you crazy since it is getting activated at every single click in the menu. Would you still recommend more stringent options like above?

4) If you are referring to the encrypted data being passed on to the registry then like I mentioned in the previous thread, till the time you hack the VBA password, it is almost virtually impossible to decode the encrypted data.

5) I have used Custom UI Editor and Excel VBA to create the Addin. So this option is not at hand at the moment but yes, I can use that for the 2003 version.

6) The Add-in already does that from the registry. If the user messes with the registry then the user has to activate the Add-In again.

7) I couldn't understand point 7. Could you please elaborate on this?

8) Aiki, it is not a demo version like I mentioned earlier. It is a fully functional Add-In with Nag screens. The activation simply removes the Nag Screens.

>>Do Add-ins have to be registered?  I thought I only had to place the Add-in in the correct directory.

Only if you convert it to a dll. Else you have activate the addin.

Sid

Patrick: Definitely. My client has a team who would be testing it independently plus David(dlmille) has been kind enough to volunteer to test it.

Sid

Sid,

I'll help test it if you think it might help.

Patrick

Definitely. :)

Sid

So is this add-in something you are selling to a client who will manage all parts of the activation, or will you be the one managing the activation?
Also, just curious if you thought of using a DotNet solution as a wrapper around the spreadsheet, which could give you a lot more power over various aspects of the project.

@Aiki: Fair enough, let me discuss this with the client again. Initially we had just that option of restricting features and then mailing the final addin after the payment but the client doesn't want to tread that road.

@rspahitz: Client will be managing the activation. I will only be there to amend the code if there are any bugs. When I started off, I was thinking of using VSTO but the simplicity of the custom UI Editor really won me over.

Sid

A Demo version should always show what it can do, but always leave the user wanting the production version.

A Demo version should never be hackable to an extent that users felt they had an option to not buy the production version.  If they manage to execute past the evaluation period, the user should see the same (or more) restricted capability as they saw during the evaluation period.

Are you thinking about network licensing for your corporate customers?

Sid - I'm up finally - you should see an invitation.

Thanks Aiki.

All set and rolling.

Sid

@Sid

What is your final configuration?
Were you able to generate the Add-in automatically?