Can I add a table from an xlsm formatted Excel spreadsheet into Layout

LayOut Feature Requests
#1

Can it be made possible to add a table from an xlsm formatted excel spreadsheet to Layout

The excel file I use to bid jobs has a few macros to speed up data entry of the different materials and labor items. The final calculations end up on a summary sheet in the same excel file. I would like to link this summary sheet in a table in Layout. Unfortunately Layout will not allow xlsm formatted excel files. The summary sheet does not contain any macros, it is just the final data output.
Can layout be allowed to still pull in the info from a sheet from xlsm files and told to ignore macros?

It is my understanding that the tables feature is basically a window looking at the specified cells, and that it does not do any calculations. So it seems feasible to allow an excel file formatted as XLSM to still be seen through the window regardless of what the macros are doing behind the scene.

If there is a hack that doesn’t involve exporting to different file formats please let me know, but this would be awesome if it was just a standard option.
Thanks, Brian

#2

Did you try a test by copying the file to a new file and renaming with just a .xls extension and see if LayOut has any problem reading the file? If not then it’s just an extension filter on the Insert dialog, and the answer to you question would be “Yes it can.”

That would lead to the next question which is “Would they consider it given the perceived security risks macros might pose?”

#3

Thanks Dan,
I am able to rename the file to xlsx and bring in the data, but I am not sure if that is a valid test to see if the macro has any negative effect on layout since renaming the file automatically deletes the macros.

I hope that a security concern would not stop them from implementing this. As of now when someone sends you an excel file with a macro in it, and you try to open in, Excel throws a warning “This File contains macros and could be destructive do you want to continue?”
Layout could post the same warning when opening a file with a macro.

#4

Renaming manually in File Explorer deletes the macros ?

#5

You should be able to use the macro embedded in a xlsm to work on any xls file by referencing using thisworkbook. I private messaged you with my email contact which you can respond too if you wish, as xlsm can not be shared on this forum

1 Like
#6

Thanks Philip for the suggestion,
I have something similar set up pushing the data to a seperate worksheet that can be brought in, but this creates another level of file management. To keep each project’s data seperate a new separate file needs to be created for each project. This introduces more failure points, more files, and more opportunity for user error.

I added this post under the topic of Feature Requests hoping Sketchup will work towards a one stop shop solution for my design and drafting work.
I love sketchup as a design tool, but when it comes down to the final mile; to sit down with the client to close the deal and get the thing they want built, a lot of things start to fall apart.

Additional steps to update tables because it won’t recognize a .xlsm formated file.
AutoText Page numbers do not total the pages as “1 of Total”
These are just little things, but when you are trying to close the deal and the client wants to make a couple of final changes before writing the check. These little things add up to extra time, and a restless client sitting their while you fumble around updating things like page numbers and tables that should be all automated in a modern software package.

#7

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