Assuming your file name is in A1

the formula =MID(A1,FIND("[",A1)+1,FIND("]",A1)-1-FIND("[",A1))

will bring back whatever is between [ and ].

Gizmo63


"Ron de Bruin" wrote:

Try this one
http://www.rondebruin.nl/summary2.htm


--
Regards Ron de Bruin
http://www.rondebruin.nl


"TJW JR" <TJW wrote in message ...
I am trying to reference data in an external workbook and would like to save
some typing. Each row has the same references, but to a different file. I
would like to just type the file name in the first cell and have each of the
following cells use that cell to get the file name and perform the function.
For instance:

='[external_file.xls]Enterprise Architecture'!$B$3

But the formula would contain some function that would get external_file.xls
from the first cell.