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Features and limitations

Features of the current version:

Development features:
  • Develop .NET-based Add-Ins directly from within Office (just like VBA).
  • A source control is built-in so that from any computer with Microsoft Office, after authentication, you can access and modify the source code of an add-in. You can also easily revert to a previous version of an Add-In.
  • Test the changes to the source code of an Add-In without restarting Office (and most of the times even without restarting the Add-In itself).
Deployment features:
  • Automatically deploy an Add-In (or an update) throughout the company.
  • End-users can automatically receive updates and new add-ins without restarting Office and without closing their current document.
  • End-users can see the list of all the available Add-Ins in the company and pick up only the Add-Ins they need.
  • End-users can have multiple versions of the same add-in.
  • Add-Ins are downloaded only when needed (streaming).
Features of the developed code:
  • The code is compiled (not interpreted) and is able to access all the resources and the features that Visual-Studio-developed add-ins can access.
  • Create user-interfaces with a built-in WPF interface designer (WinForms is also supported but no interface designer is included yet).
  • Write code in C# (and VB.NET soon).
  • Support for the full .NET Framework.
  • Add extensibility to your Add-Ins, so that end-users can customize or expand them.
Security features:
  • Decide who in the company has the right to execute what.
  • From any workstation, instantly see the source code that corresponds to one of the installed Add-Ins (directly from within Office) (after authentication).
  • From any workstation, instantly see the Change Log (i.e. history of modifications) of any of the installed Add-Ins (directly from within Office) (after authentication).
  • Optionally, require validation by a particular group before deploying an Add-In to the whole company.

Limitations of the current version:

  • Add-ins that are written in languages other than C# (and soon VB.NET) cannot be included into this system (but they can still be distributed separately or side-by-side)
  • Add-ins for which you don't have the source code cannot be included into this system (but they can still be distributed separately or side-by-side)
  • The following features are still under development and will be included in upcoming releases:
    • An advanced step-by-step debugger
    • Support for more advanced C# language features
    • Support for VB.NET
    • Support for running the solution while in offline mode
    • Improved support for WinForms (no built-in interface designer is available yet) (but WPF is already supported and has an interface designer)
    • Better packaging and fine-tuned integration with ActiveDirectory

Please feel free to contact us for more information concerning any of the features/limitations above.