3 Install the Oracle Visual Builder Add-in for Excel

Install the Oracle Visual Builder Add-in for Excel by downloading the installer from your visual application’s Data Manager.

The add-in is supported on Windows 10 operating systems that run the 32-bit version of Microsoft Excel 2016 or 365 (see Supported Platforms for the Visual Builder Add-in for Excel (Doc ID 2474783.1)).

Follow these steps to install the add-in afresh or upgrade an existing installation. If you're upgrading, make sure you follow the recommended practices (see Best Practices for an Upgrade).

1. Before you install the add-in, download the vbafe-installer.exe installation file from your Visual Builder instance.
   1. Click the Business Objects tab for your visual application.
   2. Click the menu option, then select Data Manager.
   3. Click Edit Data in Excel.
      Description of the illustration excel-download1.png
2. Quit Excel before you begin installation.
3. Double-click the vbafe-installer.exe file that you downloaded previously to launch the installation wizard.
4. When you install the Oracle Visual Builder Add-in for Excel, you get a full set commands to design layouts, publish workbooks, and more. If you don't need access to the designer tools, you can choose to install only the tools that help manage data:
   1. Click Developer Options.
   2. Select Disabled.

   Tip:

   If you want to change this setting after initial installation, re-run the installer, choose the option to repair your installation, and change your selection.
5. Click Install.
   
   
   Description of the illustration install_wizard.png
   
   
   The add-in requires the Microsoft .NET Framework and Visual Studio Tools for Office Runtime to be installed on your computer. If this software is not present, both are installed.

   Note:

   While Administrator privileges are not required to install the add-in, you must have Administrator privileges to successfully install Microsoft .NET Framework and Visual Studio Tools for Office Runtime. The add-in is installed for the current Windows user only.
6. Once installation is complete, click Close.

   If you run into issues, check the %TEMP%\vbafe\vbafe-installer-log.txt installation log.

7. Start Excel and open a new or existing workbook.

   A new Oracle Visual Builder ribbon tab appears, with commands to integrate the Excel spreadsheet with a REST service. If you disabled the design tools during installation, you won't see the Design options.

   
   Description of the illustration ribbontab.png

   Note:

   The add-in is enabled by default after installation. You can disable and re-enable it using the Oracle Visual Builder Add-in for Excel check box in the COM Add-ins window (click Excel’s File > Options > Add-Ins).
   Description of the illustration disableaddin.png
8. To verify your installation, you can download and run the Visual Builder Add-in for Excel - Client Health Check Tool (see How to use Visual Builder Add-in for Excel - Client Health Check Tool (Doc ID 2477792.1)).

Check for Updates

After you install the Oracle Visual Builder Add-in for Excel, it's a good idea to check whether a newer version of the add-in is available for you to install. You'll need an Oracle.com account to sign in and download a new version.

1. From the Advanced drop-down in your existing installation, select Check for Updates.
   
   Description of the illustration check-updates.png
   
2. If a newer version is available, when prompted to open the downloads page in your browser, click Yes.
3. Download the installer for the latest version, then install the update. Before you update, be sure to review best practices as described in the next section.

Best Practices for an Upgrade

When you want to upgrade your existing installation of Oracle Visual Builder Add-in for Excel, follow these recommendations for a clean upgrade.

Tip:

If you are upgrading from version 1.x, review Migration first.

1. Before you upgrade the add-in:
   1. Upload any pending changes using the current add-in version.
   2. Save changes in open workbooks, then close Excel.
2. Run the vbafe-installer.exe installer file for the new version. The installer will automatically replace the previous version with the new version.
3. After you upgrade:
   1. Launch Excel to complete any final installation steps.
   2. Open your integrated workbook.
   3. Clear any layouts of old data and download data again as required.

Install from the Command Line

If you want to install the Oracle Visual Builder Add-in for Excel from the command prompt, you can use command-line switches with the vbafe-installer.exe file to control or customize your installation.

Table 3-1 Oracle Visual Builder Add-in for Excel Installer Command-Line Switches

Switch	Description
/help	Displays a list of supported switches with description.
/quiet	Suppresses the interactive mode of the installer and does not install any missing prerequisite software. You can combine this switch with others to customize your silent installation.
/designer 0 | 1	Use this switch as follows: 0 to disable the designer tools and install only the data tools. 1 to enable the designer tools. This is the default installation option, unless a previous installation setting exists.
/log path	Runs the installer and directs the log output to the specified log file. The default log file location is %TEMP%\vbcs\vbcs-installer-log.txt.
/roaming 0 | 1	Use this switch as follows: 0 to install the add-in to the local application data folder (%localappdata%\Oracle\Oracle Visual Builder Add-in for Excel). Use /roaming 0 to install to the local application data folder during an upgrade from a prior installation that was installed to the roaming application data folder. 1 to install the add-in to the user’s roaming application data folder (%appdata%\Oracle\Oracle Visual Builder Add-in for Excel). This is the default installation location.