excel external data range "failed to refresh"

  • Thread starter Thread starter John Rodgers
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J

John Rodgers

hello
I have an excel 2007 workbook, with several external data ranges. The query definition for each external data range is the local path to an html file(eg, file:///D:/localfiles/filename.html). Each html files contains a data table. This works perfectly most of the time. (And there is a reason weare stuck using the html approach)

The workbook is set up to auto-refresh all queries every five minutes. I have a separate function that updates the content of the html files. Again,the system basically works, almost all the time.

The trick is the almost -- about one of 10 times that the excel file opens,I get a "failed to refresh data range: 'range_name'. continue to refresh all?" And the program sits and hangs until I respond. This is a showstopper because these files must run automatically without human intervention.

The "failed to refresh" only happens on workbook startup, and only about one of 10 times. Sometimes the workbook works perfectly, sometimes data range: 'html file 1' fails, other times 'html file 1' works, and 'html file 2' fails, etc. (ie, the behavior is inconsistent)

When this happens, I can verify that the subject html file does exist, and that it does have content. The format and fields of the content are exactly the same when it does not work as when it does work.

Does anyone know how to troubleshoot this? Or any advice specific to this challenge? (again, I am stuck using these html files and this general approach of excel auto-refresh of external data ranges.)

Thanks very much in advance.
 
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