After installing the PowerPivot for Excel add-in there are various things that you can to do attempt to debug the situation:
- First, and I know this sounds dumb, but I have to point it out – you have to be using Excel 2010. PowerPivot does not run under earlier version of Excel.
- Next ensure that you have the additional “Shared Features” option checked in your Office install options. We need this for VSTO support.
- Next ensure that you have the COM add-ins to see whether it’s checked, if not check and try it again. You might see something like:
- Check to see whether or not the PowerPivot for Excel add-in is disabled. If disabled, enable it and try again. Sometimes Excel won’t enable it by default, or you don’t accept the signing when the add-in first comes up after registration. Check whether the add-in is in disabled items list. You might be wondering “Why does Excel disable PowerPivot?” The answer is that if Excel believes that an add-in is interfering with the usage of Excel, it disables the add-in. This could be something as simple as a delay in some startup code, i.e. you hit a network ‘hiccup’ at just the wrong time, or something like that.
- If you still cannot get a valid error message, please try this
- Open My Computer Properties
- Click on Advanced Tab
- Click on the Environmental Variable
- Click on New User Variable
- Add VSTO_SUPPRESSDISPLAYALERTS with value 0 press OK
- Repair PowerPivot For Excel from add/remove program
- Open Excel again, it will prompt an error message – that might lead you to a better understanding of the problem.
Enjoy!
Excellent tip; error message in my case was:
“The common language runtime could not be loaded by C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Analysis Services\AS Excel Client\10\Microsoft.AnalysisServices.Modeler.FieldList.vsto|vstolocal.Contact your administrator for further assistance.”
I vaguely know that CLR has something to do with NET, and I recalled that I was so ga-ga over the much-touted performance improvements in the NET 4.0 CLR that I set the following registry key: OnlyUseLatestCLR = 1. Once this is toggled off again, the thing works.
I draw the conclusion that NET 4.0 RTM breaks PowerPivot RTM on Office 2010 RTM in some fundamental way. Even Symantec applications don’t have this problem anymore.
You are finding that .NET 4.0 is significantly different than .NET 3.5 SP1 — the later is what Office 2010 and SharePoint 2010 require. As you had both CLRs installed, the OnlyUseLatestCLR setting is telling Office and the PowerPivot add-in to use 4.0 (which they were not built for) — Glad this tip helped.
Enjoy!
Clearly a case of outsmarting myself. Although I gather it is possible to use a config file to elevate a specific application to target 4.0, once the latest CLR has taken precedence, there is no obvious way to opt out of individual cases.
I am getting an error after installing PowerPivot related to “Invalid URI: The hostname could not be parsed.”, I added VSTO_SUPPRESSDISPLAYALERTS with value 0, to get more robust details on the issue. I finally was able to check the box to enable the add-in, but in trying to link a table to PowerPivot, the app gave another error “An add-in could not be found or could not be loaded”. Any assistance on how to resolve this would be greatly appreciated. Below are the sets of details for both errors:
************** Exception Text **************
System.UriFormatException: Invalid URI: The hostname could not be parsed.
at System.Uri.CreateThis(String uri, Boolean dontEscape, UriKind uriKind)
at System.Uri..ctor(String uriString)
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Office.Runtime.OfficeAddInDeploymentManager.OnAddInInstalling(AddInInstallingArgs args, Boolean& cancel)
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Deployment.ClickOnceAddInDeploymentManager.RaiseOnAddInInstallingEvent(IClickOnceAddInInstaller addInInstaller, Uri deploymentManifestUri, AddInInstallationStatus addinSolutionState, String productName, Boolean alreadyInstalled)
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Deployment.ClickOnceAddInDeploymentManager.InstallAddIn()
************** Loaded Assemblies **************
mscorlib
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4927 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.NET/Framework/v2.0.50727/mscorlib.dll
—————————————-
Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Office.Runtime.v10.0
Assembly Version: 10.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 10.0.21022.1
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Office.Runtime.v10.0/10.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Office.Runtime.v10.0.dll
—————————————-
System
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4927 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.dll
—————————————-
System.Core
Assembly Version: 3.5.0.0
Win32 Version: 3.5.30729.4926 built by: NetFXw7
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Core/3.5.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Core.dll
—————————————-
System.AddIn
Assembly Version: 3.5.0.0
Win32 Version: 3.5.30729.4926 built by: NetFXw7
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.AddIn/3.5.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.AddIn.dll
—————————————-
Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Hosting.v10.0
Assembly Version: 10.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 10.0.21022.1
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Hosting.v10.0/10.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Hosting.v10.0.dll
—————————————-
Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Runtime.v10.0
Assembly Version: 10.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 10.0.21022.1
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Runtime.v10.0/10.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Runtime.v10.0.dll
—————————————-
Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.ServerDocument.v10.0
Assembly Version: 10.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 10.0.21022.1
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.ServerDocument.v10.0/10.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.ServerDocument.v10.0.dll
—————————————-
Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Runtime.v9.0
Assembly Version: 9.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 9.0.30729.4130
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Runtime.v9.0/9.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Runtime.v9.0.dll
—————————————-
System.Windows.Forms
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4927 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Windows.Forms/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Windows.Forms.dll
—————————————-
System.Drawing
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4927 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Drawing/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Drawing.dll
—————————————-
System.Deployment
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4927 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Deployment/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Deployment.dll
—————————————-
Enabled Add-in, tried to link a table to it and received a new error:
“An add-in could not be found or could not be loaded”
Invalid URI: The hostname could not be parsed.
************** Exception Text **************
System.UriFormatException: Invalid URI: The hostname could not be parsed.
at System.Uri.CreateThis(String uri, Boolean dontEscape, UriKind uriKind)
at System.Uri..ctor(String uriString)
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Office.Runtime.OfficeAddInDeploymentManager.OnAddInInstalling(AddInInstallingArgs args, Boolean& cancel)
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Deployment.ClickOnceAddInDeploymentManager.RaiseOnAddInInstallingEvent(IClickOnceAddInInstaller addInInstaller, Uri deploymentManifestUri, AddInInstallationStatus addinSolutionState, String productName, Boolean alreadyInstalled)
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Deployment.ClickOnceAddInDeploymentManager.InstallAddIn()
************** Loaded Assemblies **************
mscorlib
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4927 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.NET/Framework/v2.0.50727/mscorlib.dll
—————————————-
Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Office.Runtime.v10.0
Assembly Version: 10.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 10.0.21022.1
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Office.Runtime.v10.0/10.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Office.Runtime.v10.0.dll
—————————————-
System
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4927 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.dll
—————————————-
System.Core
Assembly Version: 3.5.0.0
Win32 Version: 3.5.30729.4926 built by: NetFXw7
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Core/3.5.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Core.dll
—————————————-
System.AddIn
Assembly Version: 3.5.0.0
Win32 Version: 3.5.30729.4926 built by: NetFXw7
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.AddIn/3.5.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.AddIn.dll
—————————————-
Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Hosting.v10.0
Assembly Version: 10.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 10.0.21022.1
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Hosting.v10.0/10.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Hosting.v10.0.dll
—————————————-
Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Runtime.v10.0
Assembly Version: 10.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 10.0.21022.1
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Runtime.v10.0/10.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Runtime.v10.0.dll
—————————————-
Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.ServerDocument.v10.0
Assembly Version: 10.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 10.0.21022.1
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.ServerDocument.v10.0/10.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.ServerDocument.v10.0.dll
—————————————-
Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Runtime.v9.0
Assembly Version: 9.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 9.0.30729.4130
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Runtime.v9.0/9.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Runtime.v9.0.dll
—————————————-
System.Windows.Forms
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4927 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Windows.Forms/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Windows.Forms.dll
—————————————-
System.Drawing
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4927 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Drawing/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Drawing.dll
—————————————-
System.Deployment
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4927 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Deployment/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Deployment.dll
—————————————-
System.Xml
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4927 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Xml/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Xml.dll
—————————————-