excel data link

[miguelcid]

Hi everyone,



I have a drawing with 40 excel data link, all linked to one spreadsheet excel file. It's there anyway to change the excel file in all the data links at the same time without having to go to Tools -- Data Links -- Data Link Manager -- right click edit on each one to change the excel file? Any lisp routine or solution will be greatly appreciated.



Thanks!
....

[Stadtler]

Hi everyone,
I have a drawing with 40 excel data link, all linked to one spreadsheet excel file. It's there anyway to change the excel file in all the data links at the same time without having to go to Tools -- Data Links -- Data Link Manager -- right click edit on each one to change the excel file? Any lisp routine or solution will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
....

A company called Dotsoft has a couple of programs which work great with Excel - ToolPac and XL2CAD - find them at http://dotsoft.com

I've been using them for years to calculate among other things, sanitary invert elevations and gas pipe sizing using node points on single line layouts - prior to spending the time detailing in 3D. ToolPac combined with AutoCAD and Excel allows me to determine 3D conflicts other building trades such as structural and mechanical systems.

I only use a fraction of the many tools included but the few I use the most often are worth the cost of the package.

[miguelcid]

Thanks, but that's not exactly what I’m looking for. When I go to:

-Tools
- Data Links
- Data Link Manager

Under --Excel Links—I have already created 40 different excel links with different content on them and from the same excel file. So each one of the 40 excel link takes a different group of cells of the same excel file. When I want to change the excel file that the 40 excel links are linked to, I have to go to:

-Tools
- Data Links
- Data Link Manager
-Double click on ONE excel link
-under Choose and Excel File, change the excel file to the New created excel file.
-press ok. And proceed to do the same steps with all 39 left excel links.

What I want to do is change the excel file in all the data links at the same time, it’s almost like just opening the excel file from a CAD excel data link, doing a SAVE AS, changing the name and, as a miracle, having all Cad excel links adapt to the new name. (When I do a SAVE AS all 40 data links are still linked to the original, not to the new saved excel file).


Please! Help!

Thanks!

[Opie]

I would recommend you not rename your current excel files. Rename your older version excel files.

[Mater]

You could use the X-Ref panel. It won't allow you to change them all at once but it will allow you to easily change table names, excel file locations & excel file names in one window. Once you have made all the changes use the Datalinkupdate to update all the tables at once.

Type Xref in the command line to bring up the X-ref panel.

[elmoleaf]

This is why we avoid renaming the Excel file once it's linked.
Before making changes to the current excel file, we do a "save-as" of the current file to an archive folder. Changes are then made to the current file, and its name is left unchanged.

[miguelcid]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for trying to help.

I took care of the problem by selecting "Relative Path" under "Path Type" in the Data link menu and just moving the drawing with the Excel file to separate folder. That way:

Good
-Templates can be all linked to one Excel file, and when making a New drawing using the templates I just have to copy the Excel file in the folder of the New drawing.

Bad
- Same Excel file name in all folders which makes things a little difficult to target one.

But as long as they are in the same folder or subfolder as the New drawing, everything is good!

I know maybe some of you did know about "Relative Path", it's hard to explain the whole problem on the Web.

Thank you!!