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How to: Deploy UDFs Using Windows SharePoint Services Solutions

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This example shows how to deploy a user-defined function (UDF) DLL by using the Windows SharePoint Servicessolution framework.

The Windows SharePoint Services solution framework lets you bundle all the components to extend Windows SharePoint Services in a new file called a solution file (a CAB-based format with a .wsp extension). A solution is a deployable, reusable package that can contain a set of features, site definitions, and assemblies that you can apply to a site, and individually enable or disable. Additionally, you can use the solution file to deploy the contents of a Web Part package, including assemblies, class resources, .dwp files, and other package components. For more information about the Windows SharePoint Services solution framework, see the Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 SDK (https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms413687.aspx).

The procedure for creating and deploying a UDF assembly by using Windows SharePoint Servicessolution framework is as follows:

  1. Create the solution manifest file, Manifest.xml.

    The solution manifest (always called Manifest.xml) is stored at the root of a solution file. This file defines the list of features, site definitions, resource files, Web Part files, and assemblies to be processed. It does not define the file structure; if files are included in a solution but not listed in the manifest XML file, they are not processed in any way.

    Note

    For more information about the structure of the manifest XML file, see the Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 documentation.

  2. Package the UDF assembly and Manifest.xml into a CAB file.

  3. Make sure that the Windows SharePoint Services Administration service is running on the server.

  4. Add the solution to the server by using stsadm.exe.

  5. Deploy the solution by using stsadm.exe.

Each Excel Services trusted location in the Shared Services Provider (SSP) has an AllowUdfs flag.

Note

The AllowUdfs flag is denoted by the User-defined functions allowed option on the Excel Services Trusted File Locations page.

In order to allow UDFs to be called from a specific trusted location, you must:

  • Set the AllowUdfs value to true. The default value is false.

  • Add the UDF assembly to the trusted UDF list to allow the UDF to be called from a workbook.

For more information on how to enable UDFs and add UDFs to the trusted UDF list, see How to: Enable UDFs.

Note

To avoid name collision, give your UDF assemblies and their dependencies strong names, and name them as uniquely as possible. For more information, see Excel Services Best Practices and Excel Services Known Issues and Tips.

Procedure

To create the Manifest.xml file

  1. Right-click your project in Solution Explorer, point to Add, and then click New Item.

  2. Select XML File, and name the file Manifest.xml.

  3. Click Add.

  4. Add the following content to the file:

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<Solution xmlns="https://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/" SolutionId="{57568687-2CC0-45bf-B66A-2D50D57108CA}" DeploymentServerType="ApplicationServer">
  <Assemblies>
    <Assembly DeploymentTarget="GlobalAssemblyCache" Location="EcsUdfsCommonSet.dll"/>
  </Assemblies>
</Solution>

    Note

    You should generate a unique GUID for each solution. For more information about Solution element, see the Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 SDK (https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms413687.aspx).

To create a solution package

  • For information about how to create the solution file, see the "Creating a Solution" topic under the "Solutions and Web Part Packages" node in the Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 SDK.

To verify whether Windows SharePoint Services Administration is running

  1. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then double-click Services.

    The Services dialog box appears.

  2. Make sure that the status of Windows SharePoint Services Administration service shows Started. If it does not, right-click Windows SharePoint Services Administration, and then select Start.

To add the solution

  1. Click Start, click Run, and then type cmd.

    The command prompt console appears.

  2. Run the following script to add the solution to SharePoint server:

    stsadm.exe -o addsolution -filename <pathtoCAB>

    Note

    You can find the Stsadm.exe at: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\BIN.

    Note

    For more information about Stsadm.exe command options, see the IT and administrators documentation and guide (https://technet.microsoft.com/Office/f/?en-us/library/affb91f8-d145-4964-8fc4-2515aa0c1e7b1033.mspx).

To deploy the solution

  1. Click Start, click Run, and then type cmd.

    The command prompt console appears.

  2. Run the following script to deploy the solution to SharePoint server.

    stsadm.exe -o deploysolution -name <filename of the CAB> -immediate -allowGacDeployment

    You should now see your UDF DLL in the global assembly cache.

See Also

Tasks

How to: Create a UDF that Calls a Web Service
How to: Enable UDFs
How to: Restrict UDF Code Access Security Permissions

Concepts

Walkthrough: Developing a Managed-Code UDF
Frequently Asked Questions About Excel Services UDFs
Understanding Excel Services UDFs