visual studio 2010 - ClickOnce/Excel-VSTO under Windows 7 -

we have developed .net 4.0 vsto excel addin in vs2010 deploying via clickonce. our deployable seems fine on windows xp extremely problematic when installed on windows 7. problems seem relate when addin needs removed via excel (i.e. has been soft deleted excel [eg. due failure, etc] , 'remove'd user via excel | options | addins | manage | com addins dialog.

the above leads situation addin re-installed after above has occurred, not exposed within excel - i.e. excel addins tab (which appear if there 1 or more addins installed) vanishes forever. becomes more of problem when developing/debugging, renaming/removing addin instances on fly - so developing vsto on windows 7 no longer feasible

note addin not in hard deleted (disabled) list - has been removed. have tried installing/re-installing/uninstalling, rebooting, removing registry items (cleaning cache/after-uninstall), removing file system files c:\documents , settings\\local settings\apps\2.0, clearing cache (via mage and/or rundll32 per clear .net-downloaded application cache without mage?). there seems clear difference of behaviour between xp , windows 7.

has had similar problems ?

the alternative can see deployment project blown msi, no near neat - requires local admin access, etc

many thanks
travis

not sure if have read tutorials publishing office solution using clickonce. if haven't, can find them via links below. worth reading.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/vstudio/bb772100(v=vs.100).aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/vstudio/bb608591(v=vs.100).aspx

regarding using windows installer, it's not extremely hard do, visual studio 2010 setup project. here's detailed tutorial can guide through these. helped me lot when trying deploy excel add-in, , hope it'd in way.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff937654.aspx

also might want ask these questions determine whether or not using clickonce/windows installer right choice.

when comes choice in deployment technologies, don't need limit 1 option. key choose right tool right job. while there no single rule or simple answer, there general guidelines can use make best decision specific needs.

• does application install com components?
• does application require registering components com-interop?
• does application install services? application have install specific location or global assembly cache (gac)?
• does application have components conditionally installed, based on operating system or runtime environment?
• does application require user input @ installation time?
• does application require configuration of system-level services such active directory or com+?
• after application installed, create files, write registry, or affect system in way leave resources behind when application removed?

if answered yes of these questions, windows installer best choice needs. however, if don't need address scenarios described in list above, clickonce excellent candidate deployment solution. if want leverage distinct benefits provided clickonce, understanding capabilities of clickonce in application design process critical. deploying version of application clickonce, belatedly realizing need move windows installer, create difficult upgrade path can avoided through careful up-front planning.