Troubleshooting Tips

This article is intended for all types of users and provides troubleshooting tips for resolving errors encountered while using the SpotlightXL and Spotlight for office. For more information go through the articles below.

• If you Install both ClickOnce and InstallShield MSI
• Visual Studio Error
• If you encounter the Error: Underlying Connection Was Closed
• Spotlight Office Utility Tool

If you Install both ClickOnce and InstallShield MSI

If you accidentally install both ClickOnce and InstallShield MSI versions of SpotlightXL, an error message will appear when starting Excel.

To solve this problem, uninstall both Add-Ins and then reinstall the version of the Add-In that you want to use going forward.

1. Close Excel.

2. Start Windows Control Panel or Windows Run/Search "Add or Remove Programs."

3. Scroll down to find SpotlightXL. You will see two instances of it.

4. Depending on what version of Windows Control Panel you are using, select the first SpotlightXL listed, and click Uninstall, or double-click it.

5. Click OK when asked if you are sure you want to remove the customization from your computer.

6. Repeat this process for the second SpotlightXL listed to complete the removal.

7. Reinstall the version of SpotlightXL that you wish to use.

Visual Studio Error

1. When you encounter an error similar to the one below, rename the VSTOInstaller.exe. The location of the VSTOInstaller.exe is provided in the error message.
   
   
   

2. When an error is displayed (like the one below) upon Login:

   1. Uninstall all the Excel VSTO Add Ins files. (VSTO stands for Visual Studio Tools for Office.)

   2. Install SpotlightXL.

   3. Install the remaining Add Ins.

To uninstall Excel VSTO Add Ins, open the Control Panel, select Add or Remove Programs. Locate the Add In(s) and click Uninstall. As a best practice, it is always suggested to clear the cache before reinstalling.

3. If you are upgrading SpotlightXL from a prior release, you may run into the following error during installation.

    
   
   
   

This issue occurs because the cache is not properly cleared. Clear the cache by running the following command at the command prompt:

rundll32 dfshim CleanOnlineAppCache

Then install the latest version of SpotlightXL.

If you encounter the Error: Underlying Connection was Closed

If you encounter the error "Underlying Connection was Closed," it indicates that the TCP/IP connection between your application and the network was unexpectedly terminated. This can be caused by various issues, such as network problems or protocol mismatches.

You can resolve it by following:

• Verify .NET Framework: Ensure that .NET Framework runtime 4.7.2 or higher is installed on your system
• Update SSL/TLS Settings: Modern servers typically require TLS 1.2 or higher. Ensure your application supports these protocols
• Disable older protocols such as SSL 3.0, TLS 1.0, and TLS 1.1
• To adjust settings:
  • Open Internet Options via the taskbar search
  • Navigate to the Advanced tab and uncheck SSL 3.0, TLS 1.0, and TLS 1.1
  • Make sure TLS 1.2 is checked
    
    

Here’s another approach to configure TLS 1.2 as the default secure protocol in WinHTTP.

Spotlight Office Utility Tool

You can use the Spotlight Office Utility tool to quickly troubleshoot installation issues with the Spotlight Office applications. You can identify and troubleshoot the following issues:

• Installation issues - The Spotlight Office Utility tool provides the capability to enable the log file to capture the MSI & ClickOnce installation procedure. This log file can be used to quickly identify the problem with the installation. Previously, MSI & ClickOnce installations did not provide details about the installation.

• User account type identification - The user account in the Utility tool helps you quickly identify whether the account is an Admin or a non-Admin authorized account. This information provides insight on the appropriate installer type for each customer. If the user account is non-Admin, then the customer can use the ClickOnce installer.

• Compatibility issues - The Spotlight for Office applications require an appropriate software environment on the customer machine like the Operating System, Microsoft Office version, and the .Net framework. The Utility tool quickly gathers this information, and provides recommendations to resolve any compatibility issues based on the collected data.

• Installed version information - The Utility tool gathers version information on the installed SpotlightXL and Spotlight for Office applications along with the respective type.

• Logs for Spotlight Office Add-ins - By default, the Spotlight for Office Add-in logs all errors and exceptions within the application. The following are the different levels that you can select for getting the logs printed:

  • Error

  • Warning

  • Info

  • Debug

  • When you select any level, the Spotlight Add-in prints logs for that level along with the levels above it. For example:

  • If you select Debug, then the Spotlight Add-in prints logs for the Error, Warning, Info, and Debug levels.

  • If you select Info, then the Spotlight Add-in prints logs for the Error, Warning, and Info levels.

  • If you select Warning, then the Spotlight Add-in prints logs for the Error and Warning levels.

  • If you select Error, then the Spotlight Add-in prints logs only for the Error level.

• Conflicting Add-Ins - The Utility tool gathers Add-In information, which helps in reproducing the problems as reported by the customer.