Just to answer you own thinking -
Your idea of using a hidden sheet will work. The links in the cells of the
sheet to the other workbook will work like any other links to get the data
into the local workbook, then you can use that local copy for your data
validation using defined names.

Like any normal in cell straight link, they work whether the other/source
workbook is open or closed.

='C:\My folder\[Myfiles.xls]Sheet1'!A5

no space in the string, no need for single quotes.

--
Regards,
Tom Ogilvy



"ssGuru" wrote:

What choices do we have to get around Excel's refusal to use a remote
workBOOK for cell data entry validation?

No problem to use another internal workSHEET when the range is named
but can't use an EXTERNAL workbook.

Could I perhaps use an internal hidden worksheet that obtained its
data from a remote workbook?
Still working on solutions.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Dennis