Microsoft KB Archive/213836

= Update remote references check box is usually selected in Excel 2003 and in earlier versions of Excel =

Article ID: 213836

Article Last Modified on 7/26/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Office Excel 2003
 * Microsoft Excel 2002 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Excel 2000 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q213836





SUMMARY
When you open a workbook file (.xls) in Microsoft Office Excel 2003 and earlier versions of Excel, the Update remote references check box for the workbook is usually selected. The exception to this rule occurs when a workbook has been linked to an external data source and you do not allow Excel to update links to the external data source.



MORE INFORMATION
Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied. This includes, but is not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language that is being demonstrated and with the tools that are used to create and to debug procedures. Microsoft support engineers can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure. However, they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific requirements.

The Update remote references check box setting determines whether or not Excel updates formulas that include references to external data sources (such as Microsoft Word for Windows documents or Microsoft Access databases). Note that Excel workbooks and documents are not external data sources.

When you open a workbook, the Update remote references check box is set according to the conditions in the following table:                                           Update Remote Condition                              References Check Box

Workbook not linked to any other       Selected documents.

Workbook linked to other workbooks     Selected or Microsoft Excel documents.

Workbook linked to external data       Cleared (not selected) source and you select No when you receive the prompt "This document  contains links. Re-establish links?"

Workbook linked to external data       Selected source and you select Yes when you receive the prompt "This document  contains links. Re-establish links?"

Workbook linked to external data        Cleared (not selected) source and you select No when you receive the prompt "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?"(Excel 2000)

Workbook linked to external data        Selected source and you select Yes when you receive the prompt "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?" (Excel 2000)

Workbook linked to external data        Cleared (not selected) source and you select No when you receive the prompt "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?" (Excel 2002 and Excel 2003)

Workbook linked to external data        Selected source and you select Yes when you receive the prompt "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?" (Excel 2002 and Excel 2003) To clear the Update remote references check box in the active workbook, follow these steps:
 * 1) On the Tools menu, click Options.
 * 2) Click the Calculation tab.
 * 3) Click to clear the Update remote references check box.
 * 4) Click OK to accept the change.

Sample Visual Basic Procedure
The following Microsoft Visual Basic code sample assumes that you have a file called Test.xls, which is located in the C:\Excel directory. The sample code opens the Test.xls file and then clears the Update remote references check box. As the Sub procedure opens the file, it also prevents Excel from updating any of the workbook's external or remote references. Sub Example ' The zero after updateLinks indicates that neither external nor ' remote references should be updated when the file is opened. Workbooks.Open fileName:="C:\Excel\Test.xls", updateLinks:=0 ' Turn off the Update remote references setting for the workbook. ActiveWorkbook.UpdateRemoteReferences = False End Sub Note The Update remote references check box is not a universal setting: If two workbooks are open, one workbook can have its Update remote references check box selected even though in the other workbook, the check box is cleared. However, when you open a workbook, its Update remote references check box is selected by default, no matter how it was saved, unless it contains links to an external data source.

Additional query words: calc XL2000 XL2002 XL2003

Keywords: kbhowto kbinfo kbprogramming kbdtacode KB213836

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