Can't load Excel add-in: “Microsoft Excel cannot access the file”

[travcoe21]

. . . and yadayadayada I'm getting this error message when I try to load my add-in in a new install of Office 2010 on a new Windows 10 machine. Looking for suggestions as to what to try, ideally from someone who has solved the same or similar problem.

The add-in is in the list of available add-ins in the add-in manager tool. I click it, and the error message offers 3 possibiilties:

1. The file name or path does not exist. <== Not so. Verified the file is in the specified path.
2. The file is being used by another program. <== Not as far as I can tell. What other sorts of other programs would access an Excel add-in?
3. The workbook you are trying to save has the same name as a currently open workbook. <== Again, as far as I can tell this is not the case. I am not trying to save anything, and there is no other open workbook with this name.

These cryptic messages are not very helpful. It seems like there is something mysterious going on. The same add-in has loaded without issues in Excel 2010 on numerous other machines, including a Windows 10 system.

Interestingly, I get the same error message if I try to load SOLVER.xlam or ATVBAEN.xlam, which are supplied with Office 2010. The icons for these have a little red dot in the upper R corner. My add-in has the same red dot. The Analysis Tool-Pak, ANALYS32.xlam, does not have this dot, and it loads when checked in the add-in manager. Could this be a clue perhaps?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Jeff

 

[MARK858]

Right click your Addin, click properties and on the General tab near the bottom do you have Unblock with a checkbox next to it?

 

[travcoe21]

Hi, Mark858 --

Thanks for replying. I do not see the Unblock option on the General tab or anywhere else in the properties dialog.

Jeff

 

[MARK858]

That's ok it was just a thought, for info the Unblock with checkbox only appears on the General tab if the file is blocked. strictly speaking it shouldn't have been the issue as it shouldn't appear in you Excel addin list if it is blocked.
Are you using SharePoint as the issue seems to come up a lot on forums?

 

[travcoe21]

Not using SharePoint. I do use Dropbox to move the add-in from one machine to another, but I don't load it from the Dropbox folder; it lives in a folder in My Documents.

Jeff

 

[travcoe21]

Solved this problem myself.

I did not have Office Tools or Office Shared Features installed. When I added these components of Office my using Control Panel => Programs and Features => Microsoft Office Home and Student 2010 => Change, I was able to add my macro.

So, a dumb newbie mistake. VBA was not installed. Once it was installed, the add-in loaded with no problems.

Jeff

 

[MARK858]

Happy that you found the issue (it would have taken me forever to guess that reason... if at all).

 

[gman345]

@travcoe21,

Joined the forum especially to thank you for this. Spent almost a week trying to resolve this for work.
Thank you!!

 

[travcoe21]

Thanks for your kind words. Happy to help!

Jeff