Hello Group,

I have two somehow interesting problems, which I don't see how to start
coding:

- We are a small group working with the same shared excel book. About 2
or 3 users do introduce data, and the rest just read it. Excel has an
option to automatically read/save updates, with a minimum interval time
of 5 minutes. My question is: is it possible to modify this minimum
time and low it to every 1 minute or even 30 seconds? And is there a
way so to force excel to save changes every time a user introduces or
changes a value, so when the rest of the users do update the book,
could see all changes? As far a I know, if values are changed, until
this workbook is saved, the changes are not available for the rest.

- On the other side, quite all the data we should introduce into the
workbook are received via email or a similar messaging program we do
have. For every message, a small plain .txt file is created. A macro
reads them and introduces the values into the workbook. The problem is
that this macro has to be manually executed at regular intervals. I
know there are instructions in .net which monitor a specific directory
for changes, and that actions can be triggered according to them. Is
there any way to use that/those instructions into Excel VBA?

Many thanks for your time, even just reading this.

Best Regards from Mallorca, Spain
Hans

It is possible to write a macro that will save the file at time intervals
which are less than five minutes. However, Excel is not designed to operate
as a near realtime system and executing such a macro on a shared workbook
would probably cause a lot of people some grief if they are trying to access
the workbook or even save the workbook manually while the automatic save is
active. Depending on the size of your workbook, it could conceivably be in a
constant state of saving.

Based on what you explained, your second question appears to be beyond the
scope of this NG.

"Hans" wrote:

Hello Group,

I have two somehow interesting problems, which I don't see how to start
coding:

- We are a small group working with the same shared excel book. About 2
or 3 users do introduce data, and the rest just read it. Excel has an
option to automatically read/save updates, with a minimum interval time
of 5 minutes. My question is: is it possible to modify this minimum
time and low it to every 1 minute or even 30 seconds? And is there a
way so to force excel to save changes every time a user introduces or
changes a value, so when the rest of the users do update the book,
could see all changes? As far a I know, if values are changed, until
this workbook is saved, the changes are not available for the rest.

- On the other side, quite all the data we should introduce into the
workbook are received via email or a similar messaging program we do
have. For every message, a small plain .txt file is created. A macro
reads them and introduces the values into the workbook. The problem is
that this macro has to be manually executed at regular intervals. I
know there are instructions in .net which monitor a specific directory
for changes, and that actions can be triggered according to them. Is
there any way to use that/those instructions into Excel VBA?

Many thanks for your time, even just reading this.

Best Regards from Mallorca, Spain
Hans

Hans,
I avoid shared workbooks, but JLGWhiz has given some thoughts on that.

As for point # 2:
http://vbnet.mvps.org/code/fileapi/watchedfolder.htm

NickHK

"Hans" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hello Group,

I have two somehow interesting problems, which I don't see how to start
coding:

- We are a small group working with the same shared excel book. About 2
or 3 users do introduce data, and the rest just read it. Excel has an
option to automatically read/save updates, with a minimum interval time
of 5 minutes. My question is: is it possible to modify this minimum
time and low it to every 1 minute or even 30 seconds? And is there a
way so to force excel to save changes every time a user introduces or
changes a value, so when the rest of the users do update the book,
could see all changes? As far a I know, if values are changed, until
this workbook is saved, the changes are not available for the rest.

- On the other side, quite all the data we should introduce into the
workbook are received via email or a similar messaging program we do
have. For every message, a small plain .txt file is created. A macro
reads them and introduces the values into the workbook. The problem is
that this macro has to be manually executed at regular intervals. I
know there are instructions in .net which monitor a specific directory
for changes, and that actions can be triggered according to them. Is
there any way to use that/those instructions into Excel VBA?

Many thanks for your time, even just reading this.

Best Regards from Mallorca, Spain
Hans

Just a thought - don't know if it would work. What if the workbook were
protected against changes, and contained an embedded command button that
called a UserForm to allow changes to be made? The form could:
place a text message below the button telling other users that changes
are being made by someone else;
accept the changes, unprotect the workbook, make the changes, then save
and re-protect when a button is clicked;
poll the folder when launched and run the data-gathering macro if needed,
or reply that no new data has been sent.

Again, just a thought.
Ed

"JLGWhiz" wrote in message
...
It is possible to write a macro that will save the file at time intervals
which are less than five minutes. However, Excel is not designed to
operate
as a near realtime system and executing such a macro on a shared workbook
would probably cause a lot of people some grief if they are trying to
access
the workbook or even save the workbook manually while the automatic save
is
active. Depending on the size of your workbook, it could conceivably be
in a
constant state of saving.

Based on what you explained, your second question appears to be beyond the
scope of this NG.

"Hans" wrote:

Hello Group,

I have two somehow interesting problems, which I don't see how to start
coding:

- We are a small group working with the same shared excel book. About 2
or 3 users do introduce data, and the rest just read it. Excel has an
option to automatically read/save updates, with a minimum interval time
of 5 minutes. My question is: is it possible to modify this minimum
time and low it to every 1 minute or even 30 seconds? And is there a
way so to force excel to save changes every time a user introduces or
changes a value, so when the rest of the users do update the book,
could see all changes? As far a I know, if values are changed, until
this workbook is saved, the changes are not available for the rest.

- On the other side, quite all the data we should introduce into the
workbook are received via email or a similar messaging program we do
have. For every message, a small plain .txt file is created. A macro
reads them and introduces the values into the workbook. The problem is
that this macro has to be manually executed at regular intervals. I
know there are instructions in .net which monitor a specific directory
for changes, and that actions can be triggered according to them. Is
there any way to use that/those instructions into Excel VBA?

Many thanks for your time, even just reading this.

Best Regards from Mallorca, Spain
Hans