XL: Linked Picture Is Not Updated When Source Data Is Not Open

• Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition
• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 4.0, 4.0a, 5.0, 5.0c
• Microsoft Excel for Windows NT, version 5.0
• Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 4.0, 5.0, 5.0a

SYMPTOMS

When you open a workbook or worksheet in the versions of Microsoft Excel listed at the beginning of this article, you may receive one of the following error messages:

   The workbook you opened contains automatic links to information in
   another workbook. Do you want to update this workbook with changes made
   to the other workbook?

   -or-

   This document contains links. Re-establish links?

   -or-

   Update references to unopened documents?

CAUSE

This problem occurs if the following conditions are true:

• You create a link from one worksheet to a worksheet in another workbook by doing either of the following:

        1. In the source worksheet, select the cell, range, or object to
           which you want to link.
  
        2. On the Edit menu, click Copy.
  
        3. Click the destination worksheet to switch to it.
  
        4. Hold down SHIFT. On the Edit menu, click Paste Picture Link.
  
        -or-
  
        1. In the source worksheet, select the cell, range, or object to
           which you want to link.
  
        2. On the toolbar, click Camera.
  
        3. Click the destination worksheet to switch to it.
  
        4. Click anywhere in the worksheet to create the linked picture.
  
      -and-
  
  

• When you open the worksheet that contains the link, the worksheet that contains the source data is not open.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this behavior, open the workbook that contains the source data used by the link. After you do this, the paste picture link is automatically updated. If you prefer, you can then close the workbook that contains the source data. As long as no changes are made to the source data, the linked picture contains the updated information.

STATUS

This behavior is by design of the versions of Microsoft Excel listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

In Microsoft Excel, the Paste Picture Link command, or Camera feature, allows you to create a picture of a single cell, a range of cells, or an embedded chart in a Microsoft Excel worksheet. When you make a change to the source data or chart, the linked picture is automatically updated to display the new information. Note that this is different from creating a formula that links to a cell or range of cells; the picture is above the worksheet in the drawing layer.

When you create a linked picture, Microsoft Excel cannot update the picture if the workbook that contains the source data is not open. This behavior is different from the behavior of links created by formulas; such links may be updated even when the source data is not open.