Compatiblity with excel

[gyra]

I've searched everywhere but unable to find an answer.  I'm using Excel 2000 at the moment and just recently installed Visio 2010 onto my computer.  Are they compatible?  Because I've tried linking them and no luck.

[aledlund]

how are you trying to 'link' them? what edition of v2010 do you have (datalinking means you have to be either professional or premium)?
al

[gyra]

how are you trying to 'link' them? what edition of v2010 do you have (datalinking means you have to be either professional or premium)?
al

I have the standard version of Visio and I've tried linking them via Database Wizard.   

[geh_heim]

hm first of all : Excel is no database

afaik you need to use Data Connection with Excel and for that you need Visio Pro.
I just tried exporting into a Excel file with database export .. that works and that can be reimported with the wizard but any normal Excel Table will not be recognized as a database. What do you want to do with Visio ?

[gyra]

hm first of all : Excel is no database

afaik you need to use Data Connection with Excel and for that you need Visio Pro.
I just tried exporting into a Excel file with database export .. that works and that can be reimported with the wizard but any normal Excel Table will not be recognized as a database. What do you want to do with Visio ?

I have info from an excel worksheet I want to link to Visio, sorry if I'm not clear.  I've tried this on another computer with an older version of Visio and it works with no problem but with Visio 2010 I keep getting some errors.

They are:

Visio Database Wizard Error

The selected stencil contains no suitable shapes for representing records in the database table.

and the second error

"Use the database wizard to create a shape that has linked cell for every field in the table

[geh_heim]

hm yes you want to link it that was clear to me, but what exactly? just as information? so that what is in the Excel sheet will display as ShapeData ? or do you want to automaticly create the drawing via database? there are quiet a lot thinks for linking

are you sure that older version was not a Pro version? Data linking with visio pro would be easy.

Maybe you can convert that Excel Sheet into an AccessDB and try again?

[gyra]

hm yes you want to link it that was clear to me, but what exactly? just as information? so that what is in the Excel sheet will display as ShapeData ? or do you want to automaticly create the drawing via database? there are quiet a lot thinks for linking

are you sure that older version was not a Pro version? Data linking with visio pro would be easy.

Maybe you can convert that Excel Sheet into an AccessDB and try again?

I want Visio to create the drawing via database, it should come out as rectangular blocks.  Hard to describe but for example, say that you have a car diagram and you want to highlight/indicate which parts can tolerate which temperature settings.  The coordinates for the parts would be provided, just need to find a way to link those info together so the shapes are automatically displayed onto the picture.

Any idea how I would go about converting the excel into accessdb?

[geh_heim]

sorry that i did not answer the last 3 days...
i just look in here when i work because i have neither Visio nor MS OFfice at home

Access 2003 and 2007 have an import Option for Excel data, don't now if 2000 has that to.
link for the Access 2007 tutorial : http://databases.about.com/od/tutorials/ss/exceltoaccess.htm

[gyra]

sorry that i did not answer the last 3 days...
i just look in here when i work because i have neither Visio nor MS OFfice at home

Access 2003 and 2007 have an import Option for Excel data, don't now if 2000 has that to.
link for the Access 2007 tutorial : http://databases.about.com/od/tutorials/ss/exceltoaccess.htm

No problem, I'm in a similar situation. 

I've checked out the link but not sure why I would need to convert to Access.

[geh_heim]

imo you need to convert to excel because to create a drawing from data you need a database.
Excel is possible but only if the structure is correct becuase normally ExcelSheets are not recognized as databases.

So if you convert to access Visio can handle it cause it is always a database.

[aledlund]

In my experience, long before IT consumed itself with hierarchial/relational data bases, flatfiles have always been considered to be valid database formats and certainly spreadsheets fall into that category. The visio database wizard is an add-in and as such may have an exposure to the connection strings used with earlier versions of Excel (thus they used to work on a currently unsupported version of Visio, now it doesn't). If you want to see that snake pit, check out www.connectionstrings.com There are examples of other add-ins that have co-req levels associated (mindmap  and word?). IMHO if you're going to try the data route you should be at minimum v2007Pro (no standard versions), where Excel is fine for sandbox (I usually post my demo's with an Excel import) but a relational database for working when roundtrip is desired. Access is fine for a single user but if the solution is to be shared you can still use SQL Express to go for cheap.
hth,
al

[aledlund]

as long as I'm wasting space 
"I want Visio to create the drawing via database, it should come out as rectangular blocks.  Hard to describe but for example, say that you have a car diagram and you want to highlight/indicate which parts can tolerate which temperature settings"
The good news is this is relatively simple. There are a couple of examples already floating around in here on reading Excel sheets and dropping boxes for different reasons (flowchart demo's are the most common). All you need is to read the sheet that has the name and pinx/piny locations.
al

[gyra]

as long as I'm wasting space 
"I want Visio to create the drawing via database, it should come out as rectangular blocks.  Hard to describe but for example, say that you have a car diagram and you want to highlight/indicate which parts can tolerate which temperature settings"
The good news is this is relatively simple. There are a couple of examples already floating around in here on reading Excel sheets and dropping boxes for different reasons (flowchart demo's are the most common). All you need is to read the sheet that has the name and pinx/piny locations.
al

I have the pin x/y coordinates given by the company.  I just need to create a visual aid from the given info (in excel format) and transfer that to the new Visio.  The older version of Visio works through Database Wizard.  I for the life of me can't seem to figure this thing out.  I've been trying for days.  I'm loosing my hair