Excel Spreadsheets into plotmaker 9

[Anonymous]

Is there a way to open or import a excel file in plotmaker. I had to Copy/Paste it into archiCAD and then save that as a pmk. Is there a easier way to go just to plotmaker? And will doing it this way allow me to change things to the excel spreadsheet and possibly update it in plotmaker? Thank you for any answers and help.

[Anonymous]

You can copy/paste directly to plotmaker. There seems to be a limit to the number of rows that can be pasted at one time. I end up copying and pasting several times then grouping and reassemble in plotmaker.
No way that I know of to have an auto-update.... yet.

[Richard Morrison]

You don't say what platform you're on. If your're on Windows, you can copy and paste directly with OLE, and spreadsheets will stay linked and update automatically. I understand Mac users can't do this, currently. (I'll avoid the nyah, nyah aimed at those annoying Mac users who constantly tout their innate superiority over us sadly misinformed PC users, of course.)

[Anonymous]

Richard wrote:
You don't say what platform you're on. If your're on Windows, you can copy and paste directly with OLE, and spreadsheets will stay linked and update automatically. I understand Mac users can't do this, currently. (I'll avoid the nyah, nyah aimed at those annoying Mac users who constantly tout their innate superiority over us sadly misinformed PC users, of course.)

*chuckles* and to avoid further spite. . .let's not go into the fact that 75% of MAC users run a windows emulation software in some form or another. . .but I digress.

The OLE is a GREAT feature for those of us that are using ArchiCAD on a windows platform.

[Anonymous]

Anybody run across this problem with Plotmaker?

Seems that every once in a while, when I open a layout, some of my linked Excel files (one in particular so far) acts up. And by that I mean it does one of two thing: 1. only half of it shows on the layout, or 2. after forcing an update, the letters all run into each other (kerning in the negatives).

I'm not quite sure how to update the file. This happens only when it's linked OLE style. Doesn't happen if I use any of the other types of paste. And I would consider changing, but I don't want the file size to double in size (it's a large layout of abbreviations).

Any ideas?

[Djordje]

Sergio wrote:
Seems that every once in a while, when I open a layout, some of my linked Excel files (one in particular so far) acts up.

Open it in Excel; select fields, copy. Paste into layout as OLE object.

You probably added/removed fileds, did re-formatting in a way that OLE can't understand. So the best way is to re-link.

[Anonymous]

I've tried relinking. I've tried it before erasing the original AND after erasing it. The results were exactly the same - letters running into each other. I needed to get the project out, so I pasted as text and did some nice gymnastics with it to make it look good so I'd at least be able to submit, but this is not the first time that I've noticed that happening, and I don't like this work-around.

Could there be an issue between Plotmaker 9.0 and Excel 2003?

[Richard Morrison]

Sergio wrote:
Could there be an issue between Plotmaker 9.0 and Excel 2003?

Yes, there is. I couldn't get the formatting in Plotmaker to match the original and went back to Excel 97, which seems to work fine. I reported this to GS/US Tech Support, which couldn't seem to duplicate the issue (despite multiple reports of problems) and wanted me send fonts, etc. and eventually I gave up and went with what worked.

[Anonymous]

Richard wrote:

Sergio wrote:
Could there be an issue between Plotmaker 9.0 and Excel 2003?

Yes, there is....

Sorry for a late reply. You were correct. I eventually updated the LBK on another computer with 2000 (instead of the 2003) and it worked fine. Now I have to figure out if I should go back to version 2000 for Excel on this machine, or wait for a fix, or... <insert obligatory lament over the "many" ArchiCAD problems here>

So maybe I should just let them (GS Support) know I'm having issues also with 2003 and Ariel fonts (think they'll ask for copies of that font?)...