Excel-Custom-Functions | Learn about custom functions in Excel | Data Manipulation library

I'm trying to start developing Office Add-ins. For sake of simplicity I'll use public code samples. Also I'm only testing with the web version of Excel.

So I take the sample Excel add-in with Angular framework using Typescript and the sample custom functions with typescript add-in provided by yo office and I want to merge their functionality into one add-in. Both samples work as expected while testing them separately.

I took the .ts, .json and .html files from the custom functions add-in and put them in the task pane add-in folder. Then I merged the dependencies of both add-ins. Finally I edited the manifest.xml trying to follow the AsyncStorage sample (https://github.com/OfficeDev/PnP-OfficeAddins/blob/master/Excel-custom-functions/AsyncStorage/).

The task panel works normally but the custom functions don't show up. Here's my manifest.xml

I was trying to run the sample project with custom functions add-in using this link: https://github.com/OfficeDev/Excel-Custom-Functions.

I made sure that I meet all the prerequisites for running the project. I installed the certificates, and run the project successfully, but I'm stuck at step 3, of registering the custom functions add-ins by going to the insert tab and adding the respective add-in by selecting from the developer section. The problem I'm facing is that I have a different view and organization of options in my excel client application and I could not find the developer section from where I can register my Add-in. I'm attaching the images of the ribbon that I have in excel.

So if you will look into the images, you will see that there is manage my addins options, which will only show the add-ins that have been sideloaded manually but not the ones that were sideloaded using the script in this project. So I don't know where can I find the developer Section. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!

I'm also part of the Insider program which can be seen in the given image

I am trying to incorporate custom functions in Excel from the preview feature of Office.js into an existing Excel add-in that I wrote. The Excel add-in is using Angular. Right now, both projects are separated in their folder and work great when run independently. I tried to combine the two by copying the files from the custom functions project into my existing add-in project. I followed the exact same architecture as recommended in the GitHub solution: OfficeDev/Excel-Custom-Functions

The only part where I'm struggling is with the manifest file. According to the documentation, the node < ExtensionPoint /> defining the custom functions need to be located within the node < AllFormFactors /> (AllFormFactors documentation) of the manifest file. For a regular add-in loaded through the taskpane (which is what I have), the node < ExtensionPoint /> is loaded within the node < DesktopFormFactor /> (DesktopFormFactor documentation).

In the manifest file I have, I copied the node < AllFormFactors /> containing the definition of my functions and put it before the node < DesktopFormFactor />. I made sure the manifest file was valid using the manifest-file-validator. I also copied the latest version of the manifest file to my shared folder location, and I also cleared the cache to make sure the latest version was loaded.

However, despite doing this, I still get an error saying that my custom functions could not be loaded, and I don't know where the problem is. I couldn't really find an answer online, so any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

For reference, here's the code contained in the manifest file.

I am following this link to try custom functions.

First I put customfunctions.js and customfunctions.html in my local folder, and then replace https:// in the manifest file with their path: I tried \\SOFTTIMUR9FDC\Users\SoftTimur\tmp\EXCEL-CUSTOM-FUNCTIONS and \\Mac\Home\tmp\EXCEL-CUSTOM-FUNCTIONS\, but I could not see any application in SHARED FOLDER in Excel.

Then, I put these 2 files on a website, and then replace https:// in the manifest file with their https address. Now, it worked; I could see the application in SHARED FOLDER in Excel and the custom functions worked.

So is it expected? In other words, when we test custom functions, we could not save these files in LOCAL; we have to save them in a website?

PS: when we develop a normal excel add-in, there is no problem to save the source files in local.

In this link, it says that

During development and testing, you can manually clear your computer's cache of registration metadata by deleting the folder \AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Wef\CustomFunctio‌​ns.

I then make a test as follows:

1. I load a manifest.xml pointing to the original customfunctions.js in my server in a workbook. After closing the workbook, a file is automatically saved in ...\Wef\CustomFunctio‌​ns\V1.

2. I modify manually customfunctions.js in my server by replacing Excel.Script.CustomFunctions["CONTOSO"]["ADD42"] by Excel.Script.CustomFunctions["CONTOSO"]["ADD42NEW"].

3. I open a new workbook, in a cell, after enter =contoso., the IntelliSense shows me contoso.add42 rather than add42new. After entering =contoso.add42(5;4), the cells shows #GETTING_DATA and does not return a value. That's understandable because it works on a function which does not exist anymore.

4. If we click on another cell and enter e.g., =2+3, we see the workbook is refreshed, and #GETTING_DATA becomes #NAME?. And now IntelliSense shows contoso.add42new rather than contoso.add42.

To conclude, I think there may be a bug: when we open a workbook, IntelliSense should give the updated list of custom functions defined in the current customfunctions.js.

Actually, what is ideal is that the custom functions in workbook always keep aligned with what are defined in customfunctions.js. If there was not this bug, today we still needed to close a workbook and reopen one to get updated. Does anyone know if there is a workaround to make custom functions in an opened workbook keep updated on the fly? Is there a refreshing trigger that allows us to make custom functions in an opened workbook update from the current customfunctions.js?

I am following this link to try custom functions. The following manifest does enable the custom functions:

I've deployed the Excel-Custom-Functions sample successfully and can use the new JS functions.

After changing the code/definition in customfunctions.js, I've restarted my web server, started Excel, inserted the custom functions from the Office Add-ins page again but still get the original functions.

If I start Excel without inserting the sample again, the functions are still known!?

How can I force Excel to remove such an add-in and reload it from scratch?

Example: The sample contains several custom functions and their corresponding registration:

Thanks to the Excel-Custom-Functions sample I can use the new JS functions in Excel, e.g. insert =CONTOSO.ADD42(1;2)

But in Excels Insert Function dialog the CONTOSO functions cannot be found.

I would expect to see CONTOSO in the list of categories, and all of its functions within this category.

Is there additional coding required to see these functions in the dialog?