I have a tool that uses an external data connection to keep a dashboard updated from single CSV which contains a data log. I don't want anyone touching the log itself and fiddling with it, so I have put together a small dashboard that is fed from the data displayed by the connection.
I have the connection set to update on open and every 10 minutes in the background, but it does not do this. Instead, I need to manually press refresh, whereupon I get the following message:
'Microsoft Office has ifentified a potential security concern' message box example
I absolutely trust the source in question, but do not want my user to have to click refresh every now and then to make sure their data is up to date.
How can I make this connection 'trusted' and have this persist through sessions?
(Apologies if I have missed anything or this isn't the right way to ask this question. I'm new! :) )
Moved the tool and it's peripherals to a (trusted) shared drive, and no problems.
Related
I am relatively new to VBA and I need a solution to a problem I have.
Currently I have two excel documents - one which is a form where the user enters data and this is then sent to a second document which acts as a database for this information. My issue is that when people are looking in the database data cannot be sent to the second document because it is open and there are overwrite errors.
It is my intention to have the databases location hidden away within a network drive so it cannot be found meaning the only way to access I is through a button on the first document.
Is there a way that when the open button is pressed to access the database that a copy of the document is opened instead of the actual document itself so data can still be sent?
So, you have a few options here:
a) Use an actual database. Not so much to solve this specific problem (that too) but also because making a "database" in excel is usually a terrible idea in the long run. But I know that is not always possible, and it's overkill in many situations so...
b) Have that "database" workbook set as "Shared Workbook". Shared Workbooks come with their own host of issues (namely, can't edit certain aspects like the VBA in them, conditional formatting, and others). But if it's strictly for reading and writing data, it can work. It also comes with its own version control, so that's good.
c) What you originally asked. It is quite simple really, as you said, you make a copy of the document, ideally in one of the user's local folders . You can do this using FSO (see VBA to copy a file from one directory to another)
The only issue with this last approach is that you need some way to track when the user has closed that temporary file, in order to delete it (if you absolutely don't want to leave any traces). Otherwise, you can just leave it, and overwrite that same file each time the user presses the "View Database" button.
Log data from a test is uploaded to a web service, and the processed CSV is downloaded back into Excel for viewing in charts. At the moment, this is done via copy and paste for short CSV files and the Data > From Text feature for larger CSV files. Unfortunately, this takes a bunch of time for every test, and I need to make the process very simple for someone else to update the Excel spreadsheet.
The Excel spreadsheet contains 5 raw-data pages which are used to store the CSV from the server. I have no issues selecting Data > From Text, entering the website URL, and completing the format to import. This process can be repeated (same as the Copy and Paste) for all 5 pages to import the data.
This process only allows me to put in one filename, so I am using the same URL for the data, and having PHP return the CSV of the latest (or a specifically configured) test whenever the website is accessed. I've verified that this process is working correctly.
Unfortunately, when I do 'Refresh All', it prompts for a filename unless I go to Data > Connections > Properties, and uncheck 'Prompt for file name on refresh'.
However, even when I do that, I'm getting mixed results. Sometimes only one of the pages will update. (Seems to be the last one I set up.) Sometimes none of them do. I need a solution which updates all 5 pages based on the current CSV from the server without having to set up the connections again every time. Ideally I'd like to just hide these raw data sheets so we can have an Excel file that's just the final charts.
Surely this is a common function and I am doing something wrong, yet all the guides I try on the Internet don't seem to work. For example, this one:
http://www.kimgentes.com/worshiptech-web-tools-page/2010/8/18/web-connecting-csv-files-as-external-data-to-excel-spreadshe.html [URL is corrected]
Seems like they only set up one connection. I can get one working to refresh, but not more than one.
I have seen this happen and finally figured it out. There are actually 3 things that can happen to give this result, and a separate solution for each:
First, Excel software uses the IE 11 web object to when it does web
retrieval of data. This means it will be "sticky" to sessions using
IE11 to access the data. Most websites these days are run by cloud
servers, which generate sessions on the server with the most load.
This normally has no impact on users on web browsers since they
login and can visually enter their credentials etc. But when a
program accesses a website and must use a specific web browser, it
must use the properties of that browser and how it works. I ran into
this a lot when I would generate and be able to download my CSV
files on the website in Chrome, then try to use Excel to import the
same files wouldn't work (it would say they weren't there). The
solution to this, at least for now, is to use IE 11, login to the
website, generate the CSV files and test that they can be
downloaded. Then use Excel to run the web import and it should pick
up the same sticky session to get the CSV files.
Second, password entry is a different thing, but also has to do with the stickiness
of the data. For some reason Excel will not cache your credential
responses for logging into a website without you entering them 3
times. This experience may change for you, but I found that I must
enter a new credential set (for a new web import of a CSV) 3 times
before it becomes permanently cached by Excel. After this, I don't
have the problem.
Third, most complex Excel programs that require
web import may also require that you either import local data you
downloaded from a website, import data from a website into a sheet
or run more complex objects like Macros. All of these need proper
permissions. You may need to set your Trust Center settings to allow
you to use your Excel program on your computer in this way. That is
part of MS office. You can set add and update those as per MS info
here:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/add-remove-or-change-a-trusted-location-7ee1cdc2-483e-4cbb-bcb3-4e7c67147fb4
So what I want do do is, get the all the data from this webpage http://abreview.ru/stat/aeb/ on QlikSense Desktop.
My Attempt
I tried to do this in data load editor through web file as a connection, but it only loaded a part of the data (part that can be seen without chaining the data filters when the webpage is first loaded)
So, how do I can the full amount of data be loaded, what are some good ways of doing this.
I could copy the data into excel file and then load it through excel but it is a lot of algorithmic work and I want to find an efficient solution, that is if there is one.
Great question, I've done this as a step by step process as I've never done this before either.
To connect to the website, you need to open the data load editor.
On the right hand side you need to "create new connection"
You then enter the URL and name it
Once this is created, the connection will appear on the right, click the select data icon.
You then need to pick the table you want to load, I'm assuming you want the fifth one.
Then click insert script and load data.
You can then get on with creating your apps.
We have an application to track work orders (hundreds of thousands) built on an Oracle database. Data entry is cumbersome and report features non-existent. IT is inflexible. We do not get support from that end. Accordingly, users have created Excel "tools" to run queries and make sense of data using ADO or ODBC connections.
What we also need is a way to record comments on specific work order (WO) records and have those comments travel with those records somehow. There are multiple users using their own spreadsheets, all querying the same database.
I'm envisioning a junction-table approach, perhaps using Access, where some VBA could take a users comment from the row in the worksheet, capture the WO number, user id, date, and comment text and store it in an Access table. Those fields could then be retrieved by some more code. This would allow any user to see all comments by any other user related to a specific WO.
I'd greatly appreciate feedback ... on the practicality, preferable constructive, but brutally honest is ok too.
Much thanks,
Kevin
Apart from this being a horrible mess you could:
use SQL Server instead of access - you can get a free copy that will probably cater for your needs. Access will also work, but it is bodge. SQL server is more professional!
I would avoid doing data entry in excel. You could build a front end (possibly in Access with SQL Server backend) that allows data entry. You could add pretty simple code to all your workbooks, which will probably reference code that will be in an excel addin. The addin has code to simply open an access database, open a form and find the WO that the user was viewing in excel.
2a. Or you could use an excel addin with a data entry form, to do data entry, but beware managing the locking, refreshing and update of displayed data.
Creating excel addins is easy, (re-)distributing them is easy, access (or whatever front end you use) is designed to do record management (ie lock and update or lock and cancel or just view) etc.... Plus you want to avoid addinghte same or similar code to all your workbooks.
Each users workbook would have very simple code. Just to tell the addin what WO you want to operate on.
Do you have sharepoint? If so Access 2013 can deliver forms as webpages - very easily, so you might not even have to manage a front end access file.
Happier now?
For those that may stumble on this post, what we ended up doing was use VBA to store comments in a separate SQL database. Users double click the cell with the WO number to get an input form prompting for comments with options to add new, append or remove existing. Entries are passed to the SQL db and also to columns in the worksheet so users can see all the entries. Time stamp/Network ID provides when/who provided comment. Existing comments are fetched when users re-open file. Works great.
I have a macro that is looping. I want to set it going to record dynamic data coming in from an external source.
However, whilst the macro is running it is not allowing the external data to update.
I have tried DoEvents but the data is simply not refreshing from the external source until the macro stops.
Can anyone advise an answer?
Thanks
TT
GOOD QUESTION (no matter what the others said) and no code required to answer it. And the answer is: The problem is with the External connections and not with the code.
Go to the ribbon> Data > Connections. Now for each connection there go to Properties and disable Background refresh.
Background refresh is the option that will make the external data update a paralel instead of serial process. Disabling it will put it back in the serial line and your code will have to wait until the refresh is done!
Good luck.