Deploying wrapper libraries

Deploying a wrapper library on a target machine requires at least three phases:

1. Building the library as a DLL.
2. Delivering the DLL and the wrapped XLL to the target machine.
3. Installing any files required by the implementation model.

Building the VB6 project

Before deploying the wrapper library, you must first compile the VB6 project as a DLL executable file. Before building it you might consider amending it as follows.

• Change the project description
• Set the version number, product name, copyright and trademarks
• Set the version compatibility to 'Binary Compatibility'
• Alter the DLL base address
• Build and register a help file
• Amend the GetAddins event handler, if you want to install the XLL file in a directory other than that containing the COM wrapper DLL, or if you are wrapping multiple XLLs.

Delivering the DLL

Delivering the COM wrapper DLL to a target machine involves three steps:

1. Copy the wrapper DLL and the wrapped XLL(s) to a single directory on the target machine. (If you have amended the GetAddins event handler, then the XLL(s) may need to be installed in a different directory.)
2. If the XLL has any dependencies on other DLLs these should also be delivered to the target machine and placed in appropriate directories. You may wish to the the Dependency Walker to check all dependencies of your XLL. (You can download this utility from http://www.dependencywalker.com.)
3. Register the COM DLL. You can do this with a command line such as

   REGSVR32 C:\Files\MYWRAPPERLIB.DLL

   where C:\Files\MYWRAPPERLIB.DLL is replaced by the full path of the wrapper DLL on the target machine. (Note: You must ensure that the VB6 runtime (msvbvm60.dll) is present on the target machine before registering the wrapper library.)

'Excel Application' implementation model

The target machine requires a copy of Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel XP or Excel 2003.

'XLL Host' implementation model

As well as installing the wrapper library, you must ensure that a licensed copy of the XLL Host library is registered on the target machine.

The special build of xlcall32.dll must also be present on the target machine (see XLL Host Deployment).

See Also

XLL+ COM wrapper generator | Generated code | Calling the COM methods | XLL Host deployment