Opening a dwg with an excel OLE link freezes Excel if it's already running

[deheylen690271]

My company has had a strange problem since at least AutoCAD 2018 (we're now on 2020). If I'm working on an excel file, and I open a dwg with an existing OLE link to any excel file (not just the currently open workbook), both AutoCAD and excel freeze, and excel throws up an error popup message: 'Microsoft Excel is waiting for another application to complete an OLE action.'

We're not doing anything tricky when we link to the excel files: we just copy worksheet selections to the Windows clipboard, and then in AutoCAD, use paste special / paste link to insert them into the dwg.

Once AutoCAD and excel are frozen, using Task Manager to force an excel shutdown frees up AutoCAD, but forcing AutoCAD to shutdown does NOT unfreeze excel, it has to be closed through Task Manager.

Has anybody else had a similar problem? I haven't been able to find any google matches for this situation. It's frustrating at all times (lost work on the spreadsheet) but it's particularly irritating when we're running batches and it locks up on this situation.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Ed Jobe]

What version of xl and acad are you using? Both 64 bit? If acad is 64 bit and xl is 32 bit, you might try installing the 64 bit version of Microsoft Data Access Engine.

[deheylen690271]

I'm using Microsoft Home Office and Business 2021 (64 Bit) and AutoCAD 2020 (64 bit). Our office has had this problem for several years now, with different versions of Excel and differenct versions of AutoCAD. All versions of everything have been 64 bit.

[Ed Jobe]

I don't think this is a common problem. Have you tried using Autodesk support? They can work with you to find out what your unique circumstances are. It could be something like AutoCAD is busy trying to resolve a bad path in the link but can't find the file. OLE is really old tech.

The only other suggestion I have is not to use OLE. Try using AutoCAD tables with datalinks to xl.

[deheylen690271]

I agree that this must be a very rare problem. I don't think it's a bad link because when we open a dwg with linked xls files without excel open, the dwg opens without any problem. Also the problem happens every single time regardless of which file is linked in the dwg or which file is open in excel.

As for datalinks to AutoCAD tables, we already have problems with tables intermittently crashing AutoCAD when we work in them for too long. I think our office must have been built on a sacred graveyard or something and now we're cursed.

It seems like the solution is to just suck it up and live with it. Thanks for your help.

[Ed Jobe]

A datalink is not the same as an OLE linked file. It uses different technology. You should give it a try before you dismiss it. Before you "suck it up", you should open a tech support ticket (https://www.autodesk.com/support/contact-support?startHelpBranch=post-purchase) with adesk. It's part of your subscription.

[deheylen690271]

That was good advice Ed, I think I'm going to take it. I appreciate the timely wisdom.

[Ed Jobe]

You're welcome. :) Here's a topic on how to create a table that is linked to xl (https://help.autodesk.com/view/ACD/2025/ENU/?caas=caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/How-to-create-a-table-in-AutoCAD-and-link-it-to-Excel.html).