DataLink edit dialog box

The DataLink Edit dialog box allows you to link data from an Excel spreadsheet directly into drawing tables for bi-directional updating.

Name

You can type a name in the DataLink Name field.

Displays you the path where your Excel file is located.

Allows you to select a data file. *.xls, *.xlsx and *.csv files are accepted.

Allows you to choose a path type option:

Full Path: BricsCAD searches for the data file in the specified folder only.
Relative Path: the data file is searched for in a subfolder of the drawing file folder.
No Path: the data file is searched for in the drawing file folder only.

Keep data formats and formulas: imports data with formulas and supported data formats.
Keep data formats, solve formulas in Excel: imports data formats. Data is calculated from formulas in Excel.
Convert to text, solve formulas in Excel: imports data as text with data calculated from formulas in Excel.
Allow writing to Excel: if checked, the DATALINKUPDATE command uploads changes to linked data in your drawing to the original external spreadsheet.

If this button is selected, a preview of the data file is displayed.

Allows you to select Excel sheet to link to:

Link to the entire sheet: all cells that contain data are linked.
Linked to named range: links to a named range of cells. Click the button to select a named range.
Link to range: specify a range of cells. Click the Preview button to display the selected range.

You must select the Use Excel formatting option to be able to select one of the following options:

Keep table updated to Excel formatting: updates any changed formatting when the DATALINKUPDATE command is executed.
Start with Excel formatting. Do not update: imports the formatting specified in the original data file. The DATALINKUPDATE command does not affect any changes made to the cell formatting.