Referencing a different Workbook

K

Ken

I have a workbook that references different sheets in a different workbook.
But when I start a new project I must update all the references with the new
filenames using "Replace".

Is it possible to enter the new filename into a cell and just have all my
references point to that cell instead of directly to the other workbook?

Thanks for any help!

Ken
 
S

Sloth

You would have to use the INDIRECT function.

For Instance...
A1: Book1
A2: =INDIRECT("["&A1&"]Sheet1!A1")

A2 references cell A1 in Sheet1 of Book1.

You could shorten it some by using...
A1: [Book1]Sheet1!
A2: =INDIRECT(A1&"A1")
 
K

Ken

I have been trying to get the Indirect to work but I keep getting a REF
error. Here is what I tried.

Book "2" has a value of 5 in A1.

In Book 1 I have this.
A1= C:\Documents and Settings\kf\Desktop\2.xls
A2= =INDIRECT("["&A1&"]Sheet1!A1")

AND I tried

In Book 1 I have this.
A1= =[C:\Documents and Settings\kf\Desktop\2.xls]Sheet1!
A2= =INDIRECT(A1&"A1")


Sloth said:
You would have to use the INDIRECT function.

For Instance...
A1: Book1
A2: =INDIRECT("["&A1&"]Sheet1!A1")

A2 references cell A1 in Sheet1 of Book1.

You could shorten it some by using...
A1: [Book1]Sheet1!
A2: =INDIRECT(A1&"A1")

Ken said:
I have a workbook that references different sheets in a different workbook.
But when I start a new project I must update all the references with the new
filenames using "Replace".

Is it possible to enter the new filename into a cell and just have all my
references point to that cell instead of directly to the other workbook?

Thanks for any help!

Ken
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
M

Max

Ken said:
... In Book 1 I have this.
A1= =[C:\Documents and Settings\kf\Desktop\2.xls]Sheet1!
A2= =INDIRECT(A1&"A1")
Click to expand...

Try these amendments:

In A1: C:\Documents and Settings\kf\Desktop\[2.xls]Sheet1'!
In A2: =INDIRECT("'"&A1&"A1")

And, importantly, we need the linked book: 2.xls to be open as well.
INDIRECT requires the linked book to be open for it to work, otherwise even
with the correct syntax, etc, it'll show as #REF!
 
S

Sloth

Sorry for the late reply, you have two problems.
1. Enclose the link in single quotes '
2. The brackets go around the workbook name
You want a result of something like this
='C:\Documents and Settings\kf\Desktop\[2.xls]Sheet1'!A1
Notice the ' goes in front and before the !
So we get to it with this.

A1: C:\Documents and Settings\kf\Desktop\[2.xls]
A2: =INDIRECT("'"&A1&"Sheet1'!A1")

Ken said:
I have been trying to get the Indirect to work but I keep getting a REF
error. Here is what I tried.

Book "2" has a value of 5 in A1.

In Book 1 I have this.
A1= C:\Documents and Settings\kf\Desktop\2.xls
A2= =INDIRECT("["&A1&"]Sheet1!A1")

AND I tried

In Book 1 I have this.
A1= =[C:\Documents and Settings\kf\Desktop\2.xls]Sheet1!
A2= =INDIRECT(A1&"A1")


Sloth said:
You would have to use the INDIRECT function.

For Instance...
A1: Book1
A2: =INDIRECT("["&A1&"]Sheet1!A1")

A2 references cell A1 in Sheet1 of Book1.

You could shorten it some by using...
A1: [Book1]Sheet1!
A2: =INDIRECT(A1&"A1")

Ken said:
I have a workbook that references different sheets in a different workbook.
But when I start a new project I must update all the references with the new
filenames using "Replace".

Is it possible to enter the new filename into a cell and just have all my
references point to that cell instead of directly to the other workbook?

Thanks for any help!

Ken
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
K

Ken

Well, I have a bigger problem then. It is not possible to have the linked
workbook open. The link needs to access the file while it is closed.

Is there another function that will get me the "link" results without having
to open the other workbook first?

Ken


Max said:
Ken said:
... In Book 1 I have this.
A1= =[C:\Documents and Settings\kf\Desktop\2.xls]Sheet1!
A2= =INDIRECT(A1&"A1")
Click to expand...

Try these amendments:

In A1: C:\Documents and Settings\kf\Desktop\[2.xls]Sheet1'!
In A2: =INDIRECT("'"&A1&"A1")

And, importantly, we need the linked book: 2.xls to be open as well.
INDIRECT requires the linked book to be open for it to work, otherwise even
with the correct syntax, etc, it'll show as #REF!
Click to expand...
 
S

Sloth

Looks like you are out of look then, and will have to keep doing it the slow
way. Sorry to get your hopes up, but I wasn't aware that you need the file
open, or that it was a problem. I believe you could use a macro that does
the Find and Replace automatically, but I don't know a lot about VBA coding.

Ken said:
Well, I have a bigger problem then. It is not possible to have the linked
workbook open. The link needs to access the file while it is closed.

Is there another function that will get me the "link" results without having
to open the other workbook first?

Ken


Max said:
Ken said:
... In Book 1 I have this.
A1= =[C:\Documents and Settings\kf\Desktop\2.xls]Sheet1!
A2= =INDIRECT(A1&"A1")
Click to expand...

Try these amendments:

In A1: C:\Documents and Settings\kf\Desktop\[2.xls]Sheet1'!
In A2: =INDIRECT("'"&A1&"A1")

And, importantly, we need the linked book: 2.xls to be open as well.
INDIRECT requires the linked book to be open for it to work, otherwise even
with the correct syntax, etc, it'll show as #REF!
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
K

Ken

Thanks for your help!

Sloth said:
Looks like you are out of look then, and will have to keep doing it the slow
way. Sorry to get your hopes up, but I wasn't aware that you need the file
open, or that it was a problem. I believe you could use a macro that does
the Find and Replace automatically, but I don't know a lot about VBA coding.

Ken said:
Well, I have a bigger problem then. It is not possible to have the linked
workbook open. The link needs to access the file while it is closed.

Is there another function that will get me the "link" results without having
to open the other workbook first?

Ken


Max said:
:
... In Book 1 I have this.
A1= =[C:\Documents and Settings\kf\Desktop\2.xls]Sheet1!
A2= =INDIRECT(A1&"A1")

Try these amendments:

In A1: C:\Documents and Settings\kf\Desktop\[2.xls]Sheet1'!
In A2: =INDIRECT("'"&A1&"A1")

And, importantly, we need the linked book: 2.xls to be open as well.
INDIRECT requires the linked book to be open for it to work, otherwise even
with the correct syntax, etc, it'll show as #REF!
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
M

Max

As a last pitch here, you might want to browse this post by Harlan
where he provides the Function pull which works on closed workbooks:

http://tinyurl.com/dkgc8

(Link intentionally points to the "Show original" version in google to avert
problems in copy > pasting the UDF)

You can read the complete thread at:
http://tinyurl.com/c6wpq

As I don't have experience using Harlan's UDF as yet,
start a new post if you need further help.
 
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