Expert: Stuart Resnick - 11/4/2009

Question
Hi,

I have an xls file with sheets named for example data1, data2, data3 etc. I want to be able to get the data in another workbook I'm working on but using the sheet name as reference.

That means I want something like this

A1 = [Closed_Workbook]data1
A2 = "C1"

getdata(A1, A2)

The getdata will return the contents of cell C1 in [Closed_Workbook]Sheet1

I was trying the indirect.ext function but for some reason it works as indirect -- that means it displays the correct data if the [Closed_Workbook] is open but I get the #REF if the workbook is closed.

Thanks for your help

Theo

Answer
There's no simple way to do this, as the Excel INDIRECT function doesn't work for closed workbooks. There are add-ins that you can download which, when added to your Excel application, will include a new function that allows indirect references to closed workbooks. Instructions on downloading and using these addins can be found at

http://www.dailydoseofexcel.com/archives/2004/12/01/indirect-and-closed-workbook...

or

http://www.ozgrid.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44975