Link charts to Access, SQLServer, or Text Files

  • Thread starter Thread starter Alan Z. Scharf
  • Start date Start date
A

Alan Z. Scharf

Hi,

Is there a way to link charts to Access or SQLServer tables, or
comma-separated text files?

Ideally, also link text fields also?

Thanks.

Alan
 
Studdy,

I know this can be doen, but it is very awkward to do.

2. I'm look at least for a way to connect PowerPoint charts to a .TXT or
CSV file, which I could easily export from SQLServer.

Freelance, 15 years ago, could link individual charts to individual CSV
files, thus allowing dynamic updates of charts simply be re-exporting
SQLServer data to .TXT files of the same name..

It's hard to believe there's no way to do at least this in PowerPoint in
2007.

Regards,

Alan
 
Try this variant on for size:

One time setup:

Export your data to CSV
Start Excel, do File, Open and choose the CSV file
Save it (making sure to force the save as CSV ... accept the defaults, in other
words)
Select the data you want to chart and do Edit, Copy
Switch to PPT, add the chart activate it, choose Edit, Paste Link.
Your data will appear in the chart's data sheet and will now be linked to the
CSV file.

After setup:

Edit the CSV file (or presumably create a new file, same name, different data)
Start PPT, open the presentation and doubleclick the graph to force an update.

Yep, the charts won't update until you activate them. There are macros to get
around this, but it might be better to create the charts in an Excel file on
chartsheets and copy/paste link those into PPT. If you can work out how to
link the data for Excel charts to a CSV file, that'd probably work better, as
the charts would update automatically when you open the PPT file.
 
Studdy,

Thanks again for your reply.

I had missed the Import Fie on the Edit menu.

However, that still doesn't do the trick since the data is apparently not
updated from the file.

The edit paste-link seems to do the trick.

SPlease also see my other post.

Thanks again.

Alan
 
Steve,

Thanks for your reply.

Apparently the Edit Paste Link does work, including automatic update of
chart once I save a change in CSV file or overwrite it with new file and
then open the Ppt file.

That's what I needed, to be able to print an updated version of the
presentation.

Thanks again for your detailed reply, which made me re-think the Edit
Paste approach.

Alan
 
Apparently the Edit Paste Link does work, including automatic update of
chart once I save a change in CSV file or overwrite it with new file and
then open the Ppt file.

That's what I needed, to be able to print an updated version of the
presentation.

Thanks again for your detailed reply, which made me re-think the Edit
Paste approach.
Click to expand...

Most welcome. And thanks for asking an interesting question. I learned
something new, proving that I'm not as old a dog as I look or that you CAN
 
Ute,

Thanks.

That looks like it will do the trick also. It looks like it involves
constructing a SQL statement for each chart, in lieu of linking each chart
to a CSV file.

Alan
 
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