This article describes the components that make up the X-Link system and explains the actions performed during the installation of X-Link. This information may be helpful when troubleshooting issues related to the installation or operation of X-Link.

For information about settings and troubleshooting within Excel, refer to the articles listed in the "Related Articles" section below.

X-Link relies on three separate components that work together to enable and facilitate the transfer of data between PIPE-FLO Professional and Microsoft Excel:

1. A set of VBA functions that can be used in Excel formulas to transfer data between a spreadsheet and a PIPE-FLO system
2. An Excel Toolbar Add-In that aids in populating spreadsheet cells with formulas based on the contents of a PIPE-FLO system
3. The PIPE-FLO API that allows other applications (such as Excel) to interact with PIPE-FLO

The X-Link VBA functions are contained in a file named "Query_addin.xla". This file is initially installed in the same folder as PIPE-FLO, but is later copied to a different folder for each user in order for Excel to access and use it.

The X-Link toolbar is implemented in a file named "Query_Addin.dll". This file is installed in the same folder as PIPE-FLO and is shared by all users on the system.

The PIPE-FLO API is implemented in a file named "felucca.dll". This file is installed in the "%SystemRoot%\system32\" folder and is shared by all users (and all applications) on the system.

The installation and configuration of the X-Link components takes place in two stages:

1. System-wide actions are performed during the software installation
2. User-specific actions are performed the first time each user starts PIPE-FLO

The X-Link installer (which is also executed during a PIPE-FLO installation) performs the following actions:

1. Copy the file "felucca.dll" to "%SystemRoot%\system32\"
2. Copy the following files to "%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART\":
• Query_addin.xla
• Query_UNINST.exe
3. Read the registry key "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Engineered Software\PIPE-FLO Professional" to find the location of the PIPE-FLO installation (This is referred to below as <PIPE-FLO DIR>)
4. Copy the following files to the PIPE-FLO installation directory:
• Query_addin.dll
• Query_addin.xla
• XL_addin 11.01.pkg
• XL_addin.reg
5. Register the X-Link toolbar COM object via the following command:
   regsvr32 /s "<PIPE-FLO DIR>\Query_addin.dll"
6. Copy the following files to "%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART\":
• Query_addin.xla
• Query_UNINST.exe

The "XL_addin 11.01.pkg" package is executed once for each user when that user executes PIPE-FLO for the first time following installation. This package performs the following actions:

1. Delete the file "%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Excel\Query_addin.xla" if it exists
2. Create the folder "%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART\" if it does not exist
3. Copy the file "<PIPE-FLO DIR>\Query_addin.xla" to "%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART\"
4. Execute the file "<PIPE-FLO DIR>\XL_addin.reg" via the following command:
   regedit /s XL_addin.reg
   This adds the following key and values to the Windows registry:
• [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Excel\Addins\PIPE_FLO_Addin.Connect]
• FriendlyName = "PIPE-FLO X-Link Toolbar"
• Description = "Exchange system data between PIPE-FLO and Excel"
• LoadBehavior = dword:00000003
• CommandLineSafe = dword:00000000