Updating Link to Excel File oddity

[PatK]

I have a number of excel charts that are linked (Pasted/Link) to a powerpoint
presentation. I have an odd situation occuring, tho, for one of my charts,
and not sure what is going on:

If, in powerpoint, I right click the linked chart, and click "Update Link",
The chart complete changes to another chart that I also have linked to the
powerpoint file. In other words, it ends up duplicating a chart I already
have pasted to the same page in the presentation (two charts per page). In
this case, this other chart is also on the same page.

Any idea what is going on here?

Thanks!,
Patk

 

[Brian Reilly, MVP]

Patk,
Hard to say without seeing a file. Can you email me a page or two of
the PPT file and the underlying XL chart file for further
investigation?
Use brian AT notReillyand.com and change the At and delete the not.

I have this on an agenda to talk about with some of the "People That
Be" for a conference call tomorrow and would love a good example which
I can never replicate. Also feel free in the email, or here, to add a
longer detailed description about what you are doing, step by step
from the beginning. No details too small to include in the
description.

Brian Reilly, MVP

 

[PatK]

I can do that. However, one note: The excel file is linked to an access DB,
and I would assume you would need that. I can zip that down to about 26Mb
(but that's about it). Do you want that, too?

I can start with the ppt and xls file, first. (note: both files are
running in compatibility mode back to office 2003).

 

[PatK]

Ok...I probably screwed up, as, since I needed to make progress, I "tried"
something: I moved the excel page with the charts, to another excel file,
and then linked to the PPT from there, and of course, that fixed things.
Now, I am trying to reverse it, but oddly, it will not allow me to move the
tab back to the original spreadsheet, so I could try to reproduce the issue.

I will try to completely recreate it, but it will take me a bit.

Patk

 

[ChunKiDung]

Do the charts happen to reside within the same excel file? If that is the
case, I am encountering the same issue. I have not found a way to specify
which tab to display on each slide.

In a previous version of powerpoint (i'm running 2003 now) I could specify
in the link:

filename.xls!worksheetname

However, in 2003, powerpoint does not recognize anything following the file
extension...

If I find anything I will post my solution...

 

[PatK]

Yes, you are correct. The charts are in the same excel file.

Also, another anomaly: There seems to be a theoretical "maximum" number of
charts that you can copy from Excel, and paste in Powerpoint. After a point,
maybe 20 or so, no matter what you do, if you perform a copy/paste link, and
then update, the chart will revert back to another chart on the excel
workbook page, NOT the one you just pasted into the powerpoint. This is
happening consistently.

:-(

Patk

 

[PatK]

Actually, this is exactly what I do. but, when you get to about the 20th
pasted chart, it will not work. On chart 20 (let's say it is exactly the
20th), when you do the Paste link, then change the chart back on the excel
side, and go back to powerpoint to update the chart, the chart reverts to a
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CHART, already pasted into the powerpoint.

Neat, huh?

WHat I have had to do is break up my excel files (duplicate them), and then
paste from an entirely new excel file, then it works (for the next 19,
anyway, then it breaks again).

Patk

 

[ChunKiDung]

If this is in fact your problem, here is the solution:

In your excel file, select and copy the 1st chart you wish to insert into
the presentation.

In powerpoint, select 'Edit', 'Paste Special'

Select 'Paste Link'

Continue to do this for each chart within the excel file.

Now when you update, each chart will update independently and won't default
back to a single tab from the original file.

Hope this helps!

 

[ChunKiDung]

Take a look at the following link:

http://www.pptfaq.com/FAQ00068.htm

 

[PatK]

This is helpful to know...might head off a future problem. This is not,
however, the problem I am having....(but I thank you VERY much for looking!)