#72 Add-in ribbon not displayed

[DavidK]

I had latest version installed last month and could open and close Excel 2010 many times, reboot PC or whatever, and the Add-In ribbon would always appear as required, whichever workbook I opened.

Now the ribbon does not display. I tried re-installing 1.34.8 and I’ve checked the add-in is checked in the add-ins list. If I manually run the .xlam file, when Excel 2010 is running, then the Add-in ribbon appears but it does not re-appear when I close and re-open Excel 2010. The Trust Center for Add-ins does not have the 'Disable all Applications Add-ins' checked, or the 'Require Application Add-ins to be signed by Trusted Publisher' option.

One recent system change included installation of Lync 2013 32-bit even though I use MS Office 2010 Standard 32-bit, and Lync 2013 installed elements of Office 2013 but not Excel 2013. I did encounter a license key issue at the time, but I followed the recommended approach of running Repair for MS Office 2010 Standard through the Control Panel; now Office and Lync work fine though the Add-in ribbon does not appear.

There are indication on the web that Office 2013 introduced ribbon settings per workbook rather than per system, but I do not have Excel 2013 installed. MS say a change is needed to the .xlam file to allow for this.

[SteveT]

You could try moving the .xlam to the user XLSTART folder. You can find the folder location here.

[Richard Fabish]

Here is some more information. I have run into the same sort of problem.

I tried starting Excel three ways:
1. From the Start Menu - picking one of the "Recent" files associated with Excel
2. By double-clicking on an Excel file in an Explorer file list.
3. By starting Excel in the Start Menu, but without picking a file from the "Recent" or "Pinned" files associated with Excel.

It looks like if you start Excel by using the Start Menu and pick one of the "Recent" file names associated with Excel, you don't get the Add-In for Spreadsheet Compare.

Likewise, if I double-click on an Excel file, there is nothing in "Add-In" for Spreadsheet Compare.

However, if I simply start Excel from the Start Menu by clicking on "Microsoft Excel 2010" - i.e., just start it without picking a file, Excel comes up with the Spreadsheet Compare in the "Add-Ins" tab. I can then bring in the files I want to compare, and it seems to work fine.

FYI, here is my configuration:
Dell XPS 8300 with an Intel Core i7-2600 CPU and 16 GB of memory.
64-bit
Windows 7 Home Premium; Servis Pack 1.
Spreadsheet Compare version 1.34.8 installed by double-clicking on Spreadsheet_Compare_Setup_v1.34.8.exe today
Microsoft office home and student 2010
I did check for the location of .xlam as suggested on 2015-09-03. It is in the right place.

By the way, I have another Add-In for Excel (and for Word, for that matter). It is the "Brother P-touch" addin for Brother P-touch label printers. I don't use it - but it is in the Add-In tab regardless of how I start Excel.

[DavidK]

I just repeated that set of tests again and in all instances I get the Add-Ins menu appear.

Time has clearly passed since the issue was raised and perhaps something has been fixed somewhere. I did not follow the suggestion given by SteveT on 2015-09-03.

Seems to be OK for me now. :)

[Richard Fabish]

It's working now for all the scnerios I tried in my earlier append. Apparently all it took was to reboot the PC. Hopfully it will continue working.

BTW, this is a very useful Add-In. Often Excel wants to save even though I didn't make any changes. Sometimes I am not sure if I changed anything, and sometimes I accidently overlay good data. With this tool I can see what, if anything, was changed.

In the most recent case, I had a large Excel spreadsheet. I didn't think I had changed anything - either on purpose or accidently. But, when Excel prompted me to save - so I did (to a new name). The tool allowed me to verify that, in fact, I had made no changes - the old and new were identical.

[SteveT]

I'm glad its working and you find it useful!