I am using excel 2003 and am trying to link a worksheet from one spreadsheet
(source) into a second spreadsheet (destination). The source spreadsheet may
or may not be open when accessing the link from the destination spreadsheet.
I figured out to go to the source, select the whole sheet, ^c, then switch to
a blank worksheet in the destination and Edit-Paste-Paste Special. From
there I "Paste link", then paste "format" and "column widths".

My first problem is that any blank cells on the source worksheet come over
as 0's on the destination, even if I change cell type to text. I caught
something in Excel Help that said when linking, excel will put absolute
values in for any blanks which I assume is what I am seeing - but me no likey.

My second problem is that I don't want to actually link to the entire source
worksheet - I need to somehow be able to define the range as
A1:whatever-the-last-cell-in-row-F-with-content-is (and that will be
dynamic).

Finally, I am sure there is any easier way to do this than three separate
Paste Special commands (link, format, column widths), but alas I am a novice.
Any experts care to help me out? I have been scouring the web and excel
help and this board for hours and my brain hurts.

Oh, and I tried to create a function for the empty worksheet on the
destination with a formula like this:
=([SourceFileName.xls]WorksheetName!A1:F50) but it did not like that - and
besides, as I mentioned above I don't really want to have that static F50 in
there (I just chose that because I am fairly certain the source worksheet
will never be larger than that but even as a novice I know that is a bad
idea).

--

thanks so much!
veek