One or More Links cannot be updated Error

[Katie]

I have a client that has a PowerPoint Presentation, with charts and linked
workbooks. The excel workbooks in turn have formulas referring to other
workbooks. When you open the PowerPoint presentation, you need to update the
links to get the most up to date information.

What is happening when the links are updated, is:
It opens the Excel File
It asks if you want to update the Excel links to other workbooks

If you choose no, the same message box opens in an infinite loop
If you choose yes or update, it clocks and then says one or more links
cannot be updated, and then asks whether you want to continue or edit links.
Continue loops back to same questions
Edit links brings up links dialog box, but when you edit them, they loop again

Reviewing the Excel file, I have deleted the named ranges linked to files in
temp folders, and those with REF in the links.
I also checked the charts, and made sure they were referring to ranges
internal to the workbook.

THe problem still occurs.

Any ideas what is causing this to loop? Any ideas as to a solution?

Thanks in advance for ANY help you can provide.

He is using Office 2003.

 

[Dave F]

I generally try to avoid linking to external workbooks, for pretty much the
same reason you describe in your post: there are two many possible errors
that can result, especially if the workbook that collects the links is itself
linked to something else.

I guess one thing to try would be to break the link between the Powerpoint
and Excel dox, save each as new files and then, using the new files, try to
re-establish the link and see if your looping problem goes away.

Dave

 

[Katie]

The client has already done this. As soon as he saved and closed, the
problem reoccured on reopening the PowerPoint file.

He understands that he can copy the data and charts as images, but there are
enough of them that it would be a pain to do that every time he needed to
refresh data.

K

 

[Katie]

I did want to say, you are right... I generally avoid linking to workbooks,
preferring to paste as picture, and recreate the pictures as needed. This,
however, is not what the client desires.

Thanks for the tips... It is good to have confirmation of what I already
tried. Still stuck, but it is good to have someone else come to the same
conclusions.

K