Excel-DNA v1.7.0 - Release Notes
The main updates for this release are the following.
- Expanded support for SDK-style project files (targeting both .NET Framework 4.x and .NET 6).
- Support for packing native dependencies.
- Automatic dependency detection for packed add-ins under .NET 6.
- Improved robustness and better error messages during add-in startup.
- Improved COM Server build and packing support using DsCom.
- Added simple logging configuration under .NET 6.
This release is recommended for all Excel-DNA add-ins. Projects should migrate to newer the SDK-style project files, whether targeting .NET Framework 4.x or .NET 6.
Runtime support
Excel-DNA v1.7.0 supports:
- .NET Framework (v4.6.2 or later), and
- .NET 6 (v6.0.2 or later) with the '.NET 6 Desktop Runtime' installed.
Support for newer .NET runtimes will follow in a future Excel-DNA version.
It is recommended that add-ins to be distributed outside a company, or that will run in a less controlled software environment with other add-ins, continue to target .NET Framework 4.x. This has the advantage of a stable runtime that need not be separately installed and serviced, and being able to load without interfering with other add-ins.
Add-ins targeting .NET 6 may be unexpectedly disabled by future add-ins targeting a newer version of .NET, or conversely might block other add-ins that target a newer version. Hence, some care should be taken where such add-ins are externally distributed for use as third-party add-ins in.
Installation
Excel-DNA add-in are most easily created by installing the 'ExcelDna.AddIn' package from NuGet.
An archive file containing the library outputs and the two main NuGet packages are attached to this GitHub Release as an alternative distribution option to the NuGet package sources.
Support
The preferred support channel for Excel-DNA is the Excel-DNA Google Group. Direct corporate support agreements are also available, for those using Excel-DNA in a mission critical setting, or who would like easy access to direct support.
Sponsorship
Excel-DNA is registered on GitHub Sponsors. All contributions are used to fund further development.
Thanks
A big thank you to our donors, sponsors and corporate support customers. Your support is crucial in keeping this project alive and up-to-date.
Thanks to everyone who has participated by asking questions, contributing to discussions, submitting fixes to the repository, or helping spread the word about our library. A shout-out to Sagi Shahar for helping to consolidate the website and documentation fragments into one place.
A very special thanks goes to Sergey Vlasov for doing most of the development work in recent years. Sergey also creates a great family of Visual Studio extensions and tools worth checking out.
And finally, and most importantly, thank you to all the developers and Excel user who use Excel-DNA, whether it's just occasionally or every day. You are the reason this project exists.
Govert van Drimmelen
govert@dnakode.com
12 December 2023