Visio 2003   

Hello folks,

I am trying to link data in an Excel (2003) spreadsheet to a Visio 2003 
(SP3) drawing and have spent hours with no luck. Each time I try to complete 
the "Link to Database" Wizard I click "Ok" and nothing happens, the database 
wizard just sits there and never completes.

I also have an issue where a window keeps popping up saying the Database 
file is ready for editing and when I click Read/Write an Empty and broken 
Excel screen pops up showing nothing.

It seems my Visio is badly bugged up, I have tried the File->Print->Cancel 
trick I found in the forum and it didn't help.

Lastly, as I said I played with this for hours (approaching 10 hours now) 
and I am wondering, is linking excel to Visio an easy task or is it actually 
a convoluted and overly complex task? (I am an old Clipper/VB/C programmer so 
I have a good deal of knowledge)

Thanks in advance,

Gary

date: Sat, 29 Mar 2008 10:11:02 -0700   author:   Gary H Gary

RE: Visio 2003   

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\viewkind4\uc1\pard\f0\fs26 Hi Gary - 
\par There are some help topics on Office Online which discuss the use of the Database Wizard and shape linking.  You can see a list of topics here : http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/visio/CH010191751033.aspx.  I'm not sure where you would see a windo popping up to edit the Database file, since I don't recognize that as a Visio dialog.
\par 
\par As for the File > Print > Cancel work around, that applies to the problem with the Database Modeling template/solution on 64-bit platforms only, and is not related to the Database Wizard at all.  
\par 
\par Try starting with the step-by-step under the topic "Link an existing drawing to a database" here : http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/visio/HP850505771033.aspx
\par Follow either the 'Database Wizard' steps or the 'Link to Database' steps.  
\par 
\par One thing to note about connecting to Excel worksheets - you can create a Named Range in an Excel worksheet that defines the data rows/columns.  To do this, open your Excel worksheet, and highlight the block containing your data - including header row, if you have one.  For instance, in the Visio install directory, there is an OrgData.XLS worksheet containing sample data for the Organization Chart solution.  (Look in C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft Office\\Visio11\\Samples\\1033, the default English install directory for samples)  If you highlight the data block (A1:H52) and then click on Insert > Name > Define, you can assign a name to the block of cells, to identify it for use later as a 'Table' with the Database Wizard.  (Access makes an easier sample data source, as it uses tables natively).  Save the Excel worksheet and close it before attempting to use the Wizard again, by the way.
\par 
\par Trick #2 is to define your own ODBC connection to the specific Excel worksheet, so that you don't have to constantly tell the wizard which Excel file to use.  These steps should work for you on WindowsXP - may need to modify if you have a different OS.  Note that Vista UAC will not allow users to create SYSTEM data source names - but USER types will perform well if you are the only user accessing the files.
\par   1. Open the Control Panel, and open the Administrative Tools.
\par   2. Launch the Data Sources (ODBC) applet.
\par   3. Select the User DSN tab if not already selected.
\par   4. Click Add, and then select the Microsoft Excel Driver (*.xls) from the list available.   (Do NOT pick the one labeled Microsoft Excel-Trieber)
\par   5. Click Finish.
\par   6.  In the "ODBC Microsoft Excel Setup" dialog type a name for your connection.  (Something like MyExcelFile)
\par   7. Click the Select Workbook button and browse to the Excel file and select it.
\par   8. Click OK to save the connection settings.  You should see your new DSN listed in the User data Sources window.
\par 
\par Now, when you run through the Link to Database wizard, you should be able to use your specific "MyExcelFile" (or whatever you named it) connection in the 'Name' drop down, and have your Named Range show up in the Table/View selector.  These two steps should get you where you are trying to go.
\par 
\par 
\par Barb Way
\par Product Support - Visio
\par Microsoft Corporation
\par [This posting is provided "As Is" with no warranties, and confers no rights.]
\par \pard\li720 --------------------
\par 
\par Hello folks,
\par 
\par I am trying to link data in an Excel (2003) spreadsheet to a Visio 2003 
\par (SP3) drawing and have spent hours with no luck. Each time I try to complete 
\par the "Link to Database" Wizard I click "Ok" and nothing happens, the database 
\par wizard just sits there and never completes.
\par 
\par I also have an issue where a window keeps popping up saying the Database 
\par file is ready for editing and when I click Read/Write an Empty and broken 
\par Excel screen pops up showing nothing.
\par 
\par It seems my Visio is badly bugged up, I have tried the File->Print->Cancel 
\par trick I found in the forum and it didn't help.
\par 
\par Lastly, as I said I played with this for hours (approaching 10 hours now) 
\par and I am wondering, is linking excel to Visio an easy task or is it actually 
\par a convoluted and overly complex task? (I am an old Clipper/VB/C programmer so 
\par I have a good deal of knowledge)
\par 
\par Thanks in advance,
\par 
\par Gary
\par \pard 
\par 
\par }

date: Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:49:11 GMT   author:   (Barb Way)