5.7 Attaching the Smart Document Expansion Pack

Before you can use your Smart Document solution with a Microsoft Word document, you must attach the expansion pack. As a developer, you will first want to run the "Disable XML Expansion Pack Manifest Security" utility included in the Smart Document SDK. This will prevent you from having to re-sign the manifest file each time it is updated. Note, however, that if you disable the security check, you will be reminded each time you attach the expansion pack that security has been disabled. You will then be asked whether or not you wish to re-enable security. Beware the default response is yes.

Each time you make modifications to your code that you want to test in the user's environment, you will need to rebuild your code, then detach and reattach the manifest file to the Word document or template. This will force the updated code to be loaded into the temporary directories.

Word 2003 has been known to crash after detaching and then reattaching an expansion pack. Be prepared.

To attach an expansion pack:

1. Open the Word document or template you wish to use with the expansion pack.

2. Select Tools Templates and Add-Ins . . . from the menu bar.

3. Select the XML Expansion Packs tab.

4. Click on the Add button.

5. Navigate to the manifest file and select it. The expansion pack should now download.

If there are problems locating any of the components defined in the expansion pack, an error message will be generated.

6. When the alias you have defined for the Smart Document solution displays in the window, select it. Then click Attach and OK.

If there are problems with the expansion pack itself, a cryptic error message about your expansion pack being identified as either missing or invalid will be displayed. Unfortunately it's not a very useful error message, and can point to a dozen or more problems.

To delete an expansion pack:

1. Open the Word document or template you wish to use with the expansion pack.

2. Select Tools Templates and Add-Ins . . . from the menu bar.

3. Select the XML Expansion Packs tab.

4. Highlight the name of the Expansion Pack and select Delete.

5. You will be prompted about whether or not you want to remove the expansion pack from your system. Click Yes.

Do not use the Remove button; this will remove the expansion pack from that particular document, but will not delete the expansion pack from its install location.