need to link external worksheet

[veek]

I am using excel 2003 and am trying to link a worksheet from one spreadsheet (source) into a second spreadsheet (destination). The source spreadsheet may or may not be open when accessing the link from the destination spreadsheet.

I figured out to go to the source, select the relevant cells, ^c, then switch to a blank worksheet in the destination and Edit->Paste->Paste Special. From there I "Paste link", then paste "format" and "column widths".

My first problem is that any blank cells on the source worksheet come over as 0's on the destination, even if I change cell type to text. I caught something in Excel Help that said when linking, excel will put absolute values in for any blanks which I assume is what I am seeing - but me no likey.

My second problem is that I need to somehow be able to define the range as A1:whatever-the-last-cell-in-row-F-with-content-is (and that will be dynamic). No need to pull over rows that have no data in them.

Finally, I am sure there is any easier way to do this than three separate Paste Special commands (link, format, column widths), but alas I am a novice.

Any experts care to help me out? I have been scouring the web and excel help and this (and other) boards for hours and my brain hurts.

Oh, and I tried to create a function for the empty worksheet on the destination with a formula like this: =([SourceFileName.xls]WorksheetName!A1:F50) but it did not like that - and besides, I don't really want to have that static F50 in there (I just chose that because I am fairly certain the source worksheet will never be larger than that but even as a novice I know that is a bad idea). I want to link to the worksheet, not to specific cells in the worksheet. Is that possible? Or, better, is that possible for a novice to do without rendering herself insane?

Thanks
Veek

[olasa]

This link might help.
//Ola

[veek]

thank you for the link, ola. i think what i am really trying to do is link an actual *tab* on the destination spreadsheet to a worksheet from the source. doesn't seem to be a good way to do that. i see that i can link individual cells, but i want the tab to point at the source worksheet and haven't yet found a way to do that. thanks though!!