To use DLLs or Add-Ins ?

**abhimanyut** · 06-08-2009, 02:08 AM

Hi,

I have some VBA code which extensively reference the cells in the workbook where it resides. I need to distribute the code so that the users can call my macros from their spreadsheets. I've done this by creating an Add-In out of that workbook.
Would creating a DLL out of this code be of any advantage? (My functions will only be called from an Excel spreadsheet) Also, can the functions inside a DLL, reference any workbook cells?

Thanks

**royUK** · 06-08-2009, 02:57 AM

An addin would be fairly straightforward, but you code will need to reference the correct workbook not the one holding the code. Use Activeworkbook, not ThisWorkBook.

**abhimanyut** · 06-08-2009, 04:59 AM

Yes, I've handled workbook referencing carefully. My question is, are there any advantages of using DLLs over Add-Ins (given that I'll only be calling my functions from another excel spreadsheet) and secondly, is it even possible for DLL functions to access any workbook cells for their calculation, data storage etc. ?

**royUK** · 06-08-2009, 05:28 AM

You can't create a dll from Excel, you would need to use another pogram such as VB Net, addins can be created directly from Excel.

**DonkeyOte** · 06-08-2009, 05:30 AM

If you're good with C you could compile as .xll (faster)...

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/178474

**abhimanyut** · 06-08-2009, 05:46 AM

Thanks for the help guys! For this time I'll go with an add-in only, but thanks for the C suggestion.

**royUK** · 06-08-2009, 06:05 AM

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