Fix broken MDX formatter, add NLog, upgrade to .NET 4.8 by dasimon · Pull Request #48 · OlapPivotTableExtensions/OlapPivotTableExtensions

dasimon · 2026-04-21T13:05:45Z

Summary

Replace dead web service: com.msftlabs.formatmdx (Microsoft Labs) is offline. Replaced with a self-contained MdxFormatter.cs — MDX formatting works again without any external dependency.
Add NLog logging: structured file logging to %LOCALAPPDATA%\OlapPivotTableExtensions\logs\ for easier troubleshooting.
Upgrade to .NET 4.8: updated target framework and all NuGet packages (MSAL 4.46→4.66, IdentityModel 6.22→7.7).
Bug fixes:
- Cache PivotField.Hidden to avoid 0x800A01A8 COM errors in LevelChooserForm
- Fix registry key leaks (using statements)
- Remove incorrect Marshal.ReleaseComObject call on VSTO-managed RCW (could cause crashes on shutdown)
- Replace silent catch {} blocks with logged warnings

Why

The com.msftlabs.formatmdx web service has been offline for years, silently breaking the MDX formatting feature for all users. This is the most critical fix.

The .NET 4.5.2 target framework reached end of support in 2022; 4.8 is the current stable LTS release for .NET Framework.

- Replace dead com.msftlabs.formatmdx web service with local MdxFormatter.cs - Add NLog structured logging (file sink, %LOCALAPPDATA%) - Upgrade target framework from .NET 4.5.2 to .NET 4.8 - Update MSAL 4.46→4.66, IdentityModel 6.22→7.7, add NLog 5.3.4 - Cache PivotField.Hidden to avoid 0x800A01A8 COM errors - Fix registry key leaks (using statements) - Fix Marshal.ReleaseComObject misuse on VSTO-managed RCW - Replace silent catch{} blocks with NLog warnings - Add README.md Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

Copilot

Pull request overview

This PR modernizes the Excel VSTO add-in by removing the defunct online MDX formatting dependency, restoring MDX formatting locally, adding file-based logging via NLog, and upgrading the project to .NET Framework 4.8 with updated identity packages.

Changes:

Replaced the dead com.msftlabs.formatmdx web service integration with a local MdxFormatter (formatting + RichTextBox syntax highlighting).
Added NLog logging and replaced multiple silent catch {} blocks with logged warnings; fixed a few shutdown/registry/COM-related issues.
Upgraded the add-in project to .NET Framework 4.8 and updated NuGet/package bindings; removed old web reference artifacts.

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 21 out of 23 changed files in this pull request and generated 4 comments.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
README.md	Documents fork changes (local formatter, NLog, .NET 4.8).
OlapPivotTableExtensions/xlEvents.cs	Logs previously swallowed exceptions during COM handling.
OlapPivotTableExtensions/packages.config	Targets net48; updates identity packages; adds NLog.
OlapPivotTableExtensions/app.config	Updates binding redirects for upgraded packages.
OlapPivotTableExtensions/Web References/com.msftlabs.formatmdx/formatter.wsdl	Removes dead web-service WSDL artifact.
OlapPivotTableExtensions/Web References/com.msftlabs.formatmdx/formatter.disco	Removes dead web-service discovery artifact.
OlapPivotTableExtensions/Web References/com.msftlabs.formatmdx/Reference.map	Removes dead web-service reference map.
OlapPivotTableExtensions/Web References/com.msftlabs.formatmdx/Reference.cs	Removes generated SOAP client implementation.
OlapPivotTableExtensions/SortableList.cs	Logs exceptions during comparison instead of swallowing.
OlapPivotTableExtensions/PowerPivotLaunchedChecker.cs	Logs swallowed exceptions.
OlapPivotTableExtensions/PivotTableKpiUtility.cs	Logs swallowed exceptions.
OlapPivotTableExtensions/OlapPivotTableExtensions2016.csproj	Upgrades to v4.8; adds NLog + local formatter; removes web references; adjusts VSTO refs.
OlapPivotTableExtensions/NLog.config	Adds file logging configuration under LocalAppData.
OlapPivotTableExtensions/MdxFormatter.cs	New local MDX formatter + tokenizer + syntax highlighting.
OlapPivotTableExtensions/MainForm.cs	Switches MDX formatting from web-service async to local formatting/highlighting; improves cancellation checks; logs exceptions.
OlapPivotTableExtensions/LevelChooserForm.cs	Caches `PivotField.Hidden` to avoid COM error after modifying other fields.
OlapPivotTableExtensions/Impersonater.cs	Disposes `WindowsIdentity` via `using`.
OlapPivotTableExtensions/CubeSearcher.cs	Fixes equality comparison bug and adds `GetHashCode`; logs previously silent exceptions.
OlapPivotTableExtensions/Connect.cs	Introduces `Connect.Log` (NLog); avoids releasing VSTO-managed RCW; uses `using` for registry keys; adds safer command-bar button checks.
OlapPivotTableExtensions/CalculationsLibrary.cs	Guards missing library file; improves error reporting.
OlapPivotTableExtensions/AdomdClientWrappers/AdomdConnection.cs	Implements `IDisposable` and disposes underlying connections with logging.
.gitignore	Ignores upgrade/build logs and local tooling config.

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Copilot · 2026-04-21T13:09:50Z

                if (Connect.FormatMdx)
                {
-                    InitiateFormatMDX(sMdxQuery.ToString());
+                    richTextBoxMDX.Text = MdxFormatter.Format(richTextBoxMDX.Text);
+                    MdxFormatter.ApplySyntaxHighlighting(richTextBoxMDX);
+                    richTextBoxMDX.SelectionStart = 0;
+                    richTextBoxMDX.SelectionLength = 0;
+                    richTextBoxMDX.ScrollToCaret();


Formatting + syntax highlighting is now done synchronously on the UI thread (MdxFormatter.Format + ApplySyntaxHighlighting). Because highlighting iterates every token and performs many RichTextBox.Select operations, large MDX queries can noticeably freeze the UI. Consider running the formatting/highlighting work off the UI thread (then Invoke to apply results), or at least gating it by input length / debouncing so UI responsiveness is preserved.

Copilot · 2026-04-21T13:09:51Z

+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Drawing;
+using System.Text;
+using System.Text.RegularExpressions;


Unused using System.Text.RegularExpressions; (no Regex usage in this file). Removing it avoids warnings and keeps imports minimal.

Suggested change

using System.Text.RegularExpressions;

Copilot · 2026-04-21T13:09:51Z

+                    int start = i;
+                    i += 2;
+                    while (i < len - 1 && !(text[i] == '*' && text[i + 1] == '/')) i++;
+                    i += 2;


Tokenize can throw ArgumentOutOfRangeException when parsing an unterminated block comment (no closing */). The loop stops at end-of-string, but i += 2 still advances past len, and the subsequent Substring(start, i - start) will fail. Handle EOF by clamping i to len when no terminator is found (and/or only advancing by 2 when */ is actually present).

Suggested change

i += 2;

if (i < len - 1 && text[i] == '*' && text[i + 1] == '/')

i += 2;

else

i = len;

Copilot · 2026-04-21T13:09:52Z

+
+            // Reset all to black first
+            rtb.SelectAll();
+            rtb.SelectionColor = Color.Black;
+
+            // Apply coloring by token
+            var tokens = Tokenize(text);
+            int pos = 0;
+            foreach (Token tok in tokens)
+            {
+                Color color = GetTokenColor(tok);
+                if (color != Color.Black)
+                {
+                    rtb.Select(pos, tok.Value.Length);
+                    rtb.SelectionColor = color;
+                }
+                pos += tok.Value.Length;
+            }
+
+            // Restore
+            rtb.Select(savedStart, savedLen);
+            rtb.ResumeLayout();


ApplySyntaxHighlighting calls rtb.SuspendLayout() but doesn't use a try/finally to guarantee ResumeLayout() runs. If tokenization or selection throws (e.g., malformed input), the RichTextBox may remain in a suspended layout state for the rest of the session. Wrap the body in try/finally and restore selection/layout in the finally block.

Suggested change

// Reset all to black first

rtb.SelectAll();

rtb.SelectionColor = Color.Black;

// Apply coloring by token

var tokens = Tokenize(text);

int pos = 0;

foreach (Token tok in tokens)

{

Color color = GetTokenColor(tok);

if (color != Color.Black)

{

rtb.Select(pos, tok.Value.Length);

rtb.SelectionColor = color;

}

pos += tok.Value.Length;

}

// Restore

rtb.Select(savedStart, savedLen);

rtb.ResumeLayout();

try

{

// Reset all to black first

rtb.SelectAll();

rtb.SelectionColor = Color.Black;

// Apply coloring by token

var tokens = Tokenize(text);

int pos = 0;

foreach (Token tok in tokens)

{

Color color = GetTokenColor(tok);

if (color != Color.Black)

{

rtb.Select(pos, tok.Value.Length);

rtb.SelectionColor = color;

}

pos += tok.Value.Length;

}

}

finally

{

// Restore

rtb.Select(savedStart, savedLen);

rtb.ResumeLayout();

}

Produces OlapPivotTableExtensions-vX.Y.Z-setup.exe — copies binaries, registers the VSTO add-in via VSTOInstaller.exe, checks .NET 4.8 prereq, and supports clean uninstall via Add/Remove Programs. Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

furmangg · 2026-04-22T01:14:13Z

        private void linkCodeplex_LinkClicked(object sender, LinkLabelLinkClickedEventArgs e)
        {
-            System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("https://olappivottableextensions.github.io");
+            System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("https://github.com/dasimon/OlapPivotTableExtensions");


I’m definitely not going to be able to merge this. Maybe this could be a config file that’s changed during build?

Replaces hardcoded Process.Start URL strings with constants from a dedicated UrlConstants class, so fork-specific URLs are isolated to one file rather than scattered through MainForm.cs. Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

dasimon · 2026-04-22T07:51:54Z

Good point — I've opened a separate PR (#49 ) that introduces a UrlConstants.cs file to hold all link URLs. That way forks only need to change one file rather than patching MainForm.cs directly. This PR can be closed.

Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings April 21, 2026 13:05

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of dasimon April 21, 2026 13:06 View session

Bump version to 0.9.8.0

6e1a6fa

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

Copilot AI reviewed Apr 21, 2026

View reviewed changes

dasimon and others added 2 commits April 21, 2026 17:01

Update URLs to point to active fork

818e9d3

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

furmangg reviewed Apr 22, 2026

View reviewed changes

Extract link URLs to UrlConstants.cs

9701e10

Replaces hardcoded Process.Start URL strings with constants from a dedicated UrlConstants class, so fork-specific URLs are isolated to one file rather than scattered through MainForm.cs. Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

dasimon closed this Apr 22, 2026

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Fix broken MDX formatter, add NLog, upgrade to .NET 4.8 - #48

Fix broken MDX formatter, add NLog, upgrade to .NET 4.8#48
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-                    i += 2;
+                    if (i < len - 1 && text[i] == '*' && text[i + 1] == '/')
+                        i += 2;
+                    else
+                        i = len;

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dasimon commented Apr 21, 2026

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