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getho
Inspiring
August 28, 2023
Answered

excel import - dynamic link doesn't like quotes

  • August 28, 2023
  • 1 reply
  • 680 views

Urgh! After some promising preliminary tests I spent a day creating tables in excel, including creating text and concatenating with variables.  Those cells are refusing to import.  
I've tried a bunch of things but it appears that anything with quotes in it spits the dummy, importing as "-1"

I have tried using the text function in excel to convert to text, even referencing that cell from another formatted as text. Chatgpt is stumped too. I know its a long shot, anyone have a clue?

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Dave Creamer of IDEAS

    It's been a while, but if I recall, text fields that are based on calculations have a problem when importing. (Referenced cells are calculations.) You will need to copy the text fields in Excel and paste back as (only) values.

     

    1 reply

    E
    Community Expert
    Eugene TysonCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    August 28, 2023

    Not sure what the problem is, are you saying it is importing but not the quotes, or the quotes are inch marks, or it's not importing?

     

    If its the incorrect quotmark toggle the use typographers quotes in the preferences and or in the import stage selecting show options on placing.

    G
    gethoAuthor
    Inspiring
    August 28, 2023

    It seems the issue has nothing to do with quotes - it is cells referencing cells: 

    This is what I get in indesign

     

    The spreadsheet has text cells, but they reference other text cells...

    see A160 actually is just referencing A121

    even if I tell Excel to convert the cell to text, it fails. Numerical values created by referencing other cells are fine

    Dave Creamer of IDEAS
    Community Expert
    Dave Creamer of IDEASCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    August 28, 2023

    It's been a while, but if I recall, text fields that are based on calculations have a problem when importing. (Referenced cells are calculations.) You will need to copy the text fields in Excel and paste back as (only) values.

     

    David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)
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