Intro

The OfficeWriter SQL Server Reporting Services integration has two parts:

1. The server-side OfficeWriter renderer (export)
2. A client-side Office add-in for designing reports - the original OfficeWriter Designer or the OfficeWriter Designer .NET.

The server-side OfficeWriter is installed with one of the OfficeWriter installers (32 or 64 bit). The OfficeWriter Designer and the OfficeWriter Designer .NET have separate installers that can be distributed to end-users.

Jump to:

• Automatic Installation
• Manual Installation 
• Installing for SSRS 2012 with SharePoint

Automatic Installation

Introduction

The OfficeWriter 8 installer is available in 64-bit (OfficeWriter-Installer-8.#.#-x64.msi) and 32-bit (OfficeWriter-Installer-8.#.#-x86.msi). The bitness refers to the bitness of the operating system, not the version of SQL Server Reporting Services.

There is a single OfficeWriter installer that that handles installing any configuration of OfficeWriter, regardless of which edition (SE or EE) or components (ExcelWriter, WordWriter, SSRS integration) you have purchased.

Running the Installer

1. Check that your system meets the [System Requirements]. You MUST have SQL Server Reporting Services installed on the machine that you are trying to install OfficeWriter for SSRS. If SSRS is not detected, it will not be available as a custom setup option.

2. The OfficeWriter for SSRS integration requires modifying several SSRS config files and adding DLLs to the bin directory. To ensure a stable installation, STOP the SQL Server Reporting process before installing OfficeWriter.

3. Double click the msi to begin installing OfficeWriter for .NET:
   

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   If you have a previous version of OfficeWriter installed, you may be prompted to upgrade or remove the existing version of OfficeWriter. We recommend that you follow the steps to remove the previous version of OfficeWriter before continuing with your installation.

4. Click Next to proceed to the End-User License Agreement.

5. Read the End-User License Agreement and click Next when finished.
    
   
   

6.  Click Next to proceed to the license key entry.

7. You will be prompted for a license key. Enter a license key into the box and click Add Key.

   Where to find your license key

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   If you are evaluating, your 30-day OfficeWriter EE license key was sent in your evaluation e-mail.

   If you have purchased the product, you can find your license keys:
    - In the original order confirmation e-mail
   - On the OfficeWriter site. You will need to log in with the credentials that were used to purchase the product. These credentials are also available in the original order confirmation e-mail.

   

8. The installer will confirm what edition (Standard or Enterprise) and product the license key is.  Multiple license keys can be entered at this step. Click Next to proceed to the custom setup options.
    

9. You will need to select the components to install. To include or exclude any components from your installation, click on the drop-down next to the component. Click *Next* when done.
    

10. The destination folder is where the OfficeWriter assemblies and utilities will be unpacked. By default, the destination folder will be C:\Program Files\SoftArtisans\OfficeWriter. Click Next when done.
    SSRS-specific assemblies will be unpacked to a subfolder called Reporting Services.
     

11. The installer will attempt to locate any instances of SQL Server Reporting Services on the machine. Select the installation to add OfficeWriter to.

12. You will also be given the option to unpack the original OfficeWriter Designer installer to the destination folder. This is recommended. Click Install when done.
     

13. The OfficeWriter installer requires administrative privileges to write the license key to the registry. On Windows Vista and above, depending on your UAC settings, you may be prompted for UAC elevation during the installation process.
    

14. Click Finished to exit the installer.
     

15. START the SQL Server Reporting Services process to complete the installation process.

Manual Installation

Installation Files

The following files are unpacked to the destination folder selected during the automatic installation process and are needed for the manual installation process.

Installation Files

Installing OfficeWriter for SSRS

1. Run the OfficeWriter installer on another machine with SQL Server Reporting Services to unpack the necessary installation files (see above).

2. Make sure that your system meets the System Requirements.

3. Installing OfficeWriter for SSRS requires modifying several SSRS config files and dropping DLLs in the bin directory. STOP SQL Server Reporting Services process before installing OfficeWriter.

4. Copy the following files to <MSSQL Directory>\Reporting Services\ReportServer\bin

1. SoftArtisans.OfficeWriter.RS2005.dll (for Reporting Services 2005) or SoftArtisans.OfficeWriter.RS2008.dll (for Reporting Services 2008 or Reporting Services 2012)

2. SoftArtisans.OfficeWriter.WordWriter.dll

3. SoftArtisans.OfficeWriter.ExcelWriter.dll

   
   

5. Run LicenseManager.exe to install the OfficeWriterEE or OfficeWriterSE key

6. Modify the RSReportServer.config file in <MSSQL Directory>\Reporting Services\ReportServe*. Copy the following report rendering extension declaration to the file's <Render> node:
   For Reporting Services 2005:

   For Reporting Services 2008 or 2012:

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   You will likely already have Extension elements in your Render node. You should only need to copy the Extension element lines below your existing Extension elements in the Render node.

7. Modify the rssrvpolicy.config file in <MSSQL Directory>\Reporting Services\ReportServer. Add the following security trust codegroup to the file's <CodeGroup> node:

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   You will likely already have the "FirstMatchCodeGroup" CodeGroup element in your Render node. You should only need to copy the innermost CodeGroup element (Name="SoftArtisans_OfficeWriter_Strong_Name").

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   The PublicKeyBlob value should be in one line. When you copy the lines above to *rssrvpolicy.config*, remove the line breaks within the PublicKeyBlob.

8. To install the samples, upload the RDL files in OfficeWriter\ReportingServices\Samples to the Reporting Server using Report Manager.

Automatic Installation

Where to get the installer

There are several places to get the OfficeWriterDesinger-Installer-8.#.#.msi:

• Program Files: The OfficeWriter Designer installer is included in the installation file for server-side component of OfficeWriter. It should be located under C:\Program Files\SoftArtisans\OfficeWriter.

• OfficeWriter.com: The latest version of the OfficeWriter Desinger installer is also available separately for download on the Officewriter website.

• Evaluation E-mail: If evaluating, a link to download the OfficeWriter Designer separately is provided in the e-mail sent when evaluation started.

Running the installer

1. Copy the OfficeWriter Designer install files to the client machine.
2. Check that your system meets System Requirements for the OfficeWriter Designer. This includes a 32-bit version of Office 2007 or later with appropriate service packs and security patches, MS Query, and VBA.
3. Close all Microsoft Office applications.
4. If there are previous versions of the Designer installed, make sure to uninstall the OfficeWriter Designer through Add/Remove programs or Programs and Features.
5. Double-click OfficeWriterDesigner-Installer.msi to begin the OfficeWriter Designer installation.
   
   
6. Read the End-User license agreement.
   
   

7. Select the Destination Folder. This installer will unpack some samples of pre-designed reports and the Designer installation source files.
   
   

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   The OfficeWriter Designer can be run on 64-bit or 32-bit systems, but will unpack the samples and install files under the 32-bit version of Program Files: C:\Program Files x86\SoftArtisans\OfficeWriter\Designer on 64-bit systems or C:\Program Files\SoftArtisans\OfficeWriter\Designer for 32-bit systems.

8. Select whether to install the OfficeWriter Designer Add-In for Excel, Word or both. If the installer detects that either Excel or Word is not installed on the machine, you will not have the option to install the Add-In for the missing application.
   
   
9. The OfficeWriter Designer installer requires administrative privileges to register a few components used by the Add-In. You will be prompted for administrative credentials before the installation can complete.
   
   

Manual Installation

1. Run the automatic installation on one machine in order to unpack the OfficeWriter Designer files. After these files have been unpacked, you can install the OfficeWriter Designer manually on other machines
2. Close all Microsoft Office applications.
3. Open a command prompt window and move to the directory OfficeWriter\Designer. For example, enter cd C:\Program Files\SoftArtisans\OfficeWriter\Designer.
4. Enter regsvr32 SARS8CLT.dll. A dialog box will inform you that SARS8CLT.dll registered successfully; click Ok.
5. Enter regsvr32 OWAssist.dll. A dialog box will inform you that OWAssist.dll registered successfully; click Ok.

6. Enter regsvr32 XFClient.dll. A dialog box will inform you that XFClient.dll registered successfully; click Ok.

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   The Application Data folder is hidden by default. In order to show hidden folders, open a Windows Explorer window and go to Tools. Select Folder Options, then select the View tab. Under Hidden files and folders, check the radio button beside Show hidden files and folders.

7. Copy OWDesigner_Ribbon.dotm from OfficeWriter\Designer to
   %appdata%\Microsoft\Word\STARTUP.
8. Copy OWDesigner_Ribbon.xlam from OfficeWriter\Designer to
   %appdata%\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART.
9. Create the Registry Key settings as described below.

To change an OfficeWriter Designer registry key value:

• Open the Start menu and select Run.
• Enter regedit and click Ok.
• Open the folder HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SoftArtisans\OfficeWriter\Designer.
• Double-click the key you want to update. A dialog will open.
• In the Value Data field, enter a new value for the key.

OfficeWriter Designer Registry Keys

How to change an OfficeWriter ServerMRU (most recently used servers) registry key value:

1. Open the Start menu and select Run.
2. Enter regedit and click Ok.
3. Open the folder HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SoftArtisans\OfficeWriter\Designer\ServerMRU.
4. Double click the key you want to update. An dialog will open.
5. In the Value Data field, enter a new value for the key.

Where to get the installer

There are several places to get the OWDesigner.Net-8.x.x.msi installer:

• OfficeWriter.com: The latest version of the OfficeWriter Designer .NET installer is available for download on the OfficeWriter website.
• Evaluation e-mail: Links to download the latest versions of all the OfficeWriter installers are available in the e-mail sent when an evaluation is started. Sign-ups for evaluations are online.

Running the installer

1. Copy the OfficeWriter Designer .NET installer to the client machine.
   
   
2. Check that your system meets the System Requirements.
   
   
3. Close all Microsoft Office applications
   
   
4. If there are previous versions of the OfficeWriter Designer .NET installed, make sure to uninstall the OfficeWriter Designer .NET through Programs and Features.
   
   
5. Double-click OWDesigner.NET-8.x.x.msi to begin the Designer .NET installation.
   
   
6. Read the end-user license agreement.
   
   
   
   
7. Check off I accept the terms in the license agreement when finished and then click Install to install the OfficeWriter Designer .NET
   
   
   
   
8. When the installer is finished, click Finish to exit the installer.
   
   
   
   
9. Open Excel 2007 or later.
   
   
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   When opening Excel for the first time after the OfficeWriter Designer .NET installation is completed, there may be a slight delay as Excel loads the Designer .NET add-in.

   
   If you have never installed a version of the OfficeWriter Designer .NET on your installation of Office, you may be prompted to add SoftArtisans as a trusted publisher. Add SoftArtisans as a trusted publisher to complete the installation.