change color with excel cell value

[Bill]

I want to change the color of a shape with the value in an excel cell. The
value in the cell is from a PLC using the paste special command. When the
values in the PLC change I want to change the appearence of the of a given
shape.

 

[Al Edlund]

v2007 supports datalinking to external datasources (OLEDB mostly) which
includes Excel. I suspect you might then be able to take advantage of one of
the normal add-ins (color by value) to get it done.
al

 

[Bill]

Can I do this with Visio 2003?

v2007 supports datalinking to external datasources (OLEDB mostly) which
includes Excel. I suspect you might then be able to take advantage of one of
the normal add-ins (color by value) to get it done.
al

 

[David Parker]

If you have Visio Professional, then you can use Color By Value under the
Building Plan solution

 

[Al Edlund]

but you have to write the code to do the data interaction between excel and
visio.
al

 

[David Parker]

....or use the Database Wizard,
....or Space Plan / Import Data

 

[Bill]

I'm sorry, but the 5 or 6 word answers do not tell me what I want to know.
Can someone point me to a web page or book where I can get step by step
instructions to do this?
I spent 3 hours pouring over books at the book store yesterday and I still
can't find what I need.

 

[David Parker]

Well, my book would have helped ...
http://www.visualizinginformation.com/chapters/chapter06/chapter.aspx

In short, you can either link a custom property / shape data row to an Excel
spreadsheet column, and then use Color By Value, or you can link the fill
foregnd cell directly to an Excel column.
The Database Wizard and Space Plan Import tools both enable you to select a
spreadseet
eg Tools / Addons / Visio Extras
Links Shapes to Database Records ...

Create an ODBC Data Source to the Spreadsheet, but be aware that you must
save the Excel file before you do the Refresh in Visio.