IBM PAFE Add-ins Issue - Classic add-in reappears, New add-in fails to appear, New add-in fails to register for PAX API

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Adam
Posts: 94
Joined: Wed Apr 03, 2019 12:10 am
OLAP Product: IBM PA
Version: 2.0.9.x
Excel Version: Microsoft 365 x64

IBM PAFE Add-ins Issue - Classic add-in reappears, New add-in fails to appear, New add-in fails to register for PAX API

Post by Adam »

Ran into an issue regarding IBM Planning Analytics for Excel (PAX/PAFE) that I wanted to document for the benefit of others.

Specific symptoms include:
  1. Although uninstalled, legacy PAFE Excel Add-ins: CognosOfficeBI and CognosOfficeTM1, remain enabled (checked on Excel Add-ins list). Even after disabling (unchecking on Excel Add-ins list) post uninstall, re-opening Excel causes each to reappear on the Excel Add-ins list in an enabled but non-functional state.
  2. Although enabled (checked on Excel Add-ins list), the current PAFE ribbon tab does not appear after the startup of Excel.
After working through other approaches, the solution that resolves both above is to open Registry Editor and navigate to

Code: Select all

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Excel\Options
and:
  1. Remove registry entries named “OPEN*” referencing (A) above. This permanently removes the uninstalled add-ins from the Excel startup process and the add-ins list.
  2. Excel stops scanning for Add-ins to open during Excel startup when it encounters an “OPEN*” entry with (blank) data. Modify “OPEN*” registry entries so there are no (blank) values. Additionally, the list of add-ins shown in the registry must be continuous e.g. OPEN -> OPEN1 -> OPEN2, etc. rather than discontinuous OPEN -> OPEN2 -> OPEN4, etc.
Last edited by Adam on Mon Nov 14, 2022 8:20 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Take care.
Adam
Wim Gielis
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Posts: 3105
Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2008 6:26 pm
OLAP Product: TM1, Jedox
Version: PAL 2.0.9.18
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Re: IBM PAFE Add-ins Issue

Post by Wim Gielis »

Thanks Adam.

Also, related material: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=16017
Best regards,

Wim Gielis

IBM Champion 2024
Excel Most Valuable Professional, 2011-2014
https://www.wimgielis.com ==> 121 TM1 articles and a lot of custom code
Newest blog article: Deleting elements quickly
Adam
Posts: 94
Joined: Wed Apr 03, 2019 12:10 am
OLAP Product: IBM PA
Version: 2.0.9.x
Excel Version: Microsoft 365 x64

Re: IBM PAFE Add-ins Issue

Post by Adam »

Thanks for sharing. Even solving for #1, #2 would have been an issue in our case as there was something like 5 blank OPEN*s before the current IBM PAFE add-in. Trials and tribulations of Excel add-ins management!
Take care.
Adam
Wim Gielis
MVP
Posts: 3105
Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2008 6:26 pm
OLAP Product: TM1, Jedox
Version: PAL 2.0.9.18
Excel Version: Microsoft 365
Location: Brussels, Belgium
Contact:

Re: IBM PAFE Add-ins Issue - Classic add-in reappears, New add-in fails to appear

Post by Wim Gielis »

Absolutely.

Another useful link, from Excel MVP Jan Karel Pieterse:
https://jkp-ads.com/Articles/excel-addi ... roblem.asp
Best regards,

Wim Gielis

IBM Champion 2024
Excel Most Valuable Professional, 2011-2014
https://www.wimgielis.com ==> 121 TM1 articles and a lot of custom code
Newest blog article: Deleting elements quickly
Adam
Posts: 94
Joined: Wed Apr 03, 2019 12:10 am
OLAP Product: IBM PA
Version: 2.0.9.x
Excel Version: Microsoft 365 x64

Re: IBM PAFE Add-ins Issue - Classic add-in reappears, New add-in fails to appear

Post by Adam »

Ran into another issue today that isn't 100% related to Classic add-in (so adjusted thread title) but thought this was the best place to document it as the symptoms are the same. For me this happened during a dirty Excel crash.

Symptoms are:
  • No references to IBM PAFE in the Excel Add-ins window.
  • IBM PAFE Excel automation fails to register with standard name and registers with the "alternate" name, which breaks all the automation (this would be the same symptom as with Classic add-in).
Fix -- In addition to the registry location in the first post in this thread, you ALSO need to delete the registry "folder":

Code: Select all

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\Excel\Addins\CognosOffice12.Connect
Take care.
Adam
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