I'm testing some things to see if they work before I buy a couple copies of mappoint...

What i want to do is to have 1 person be the primary, who edits a spreadsheet in a shared folder. 2 computers that can view and also make changes to the same document.

I've set up all the sharing options both in excel and windows, currently testing a computer with vista and another with xp.

I can link the same file if it's sitting on the desktop on both machines. The map looks as it should, with all the pushpins in place. But the exact file, that is in the shared folder, will not go past the "Primary Key" screen to get to the map. What is this?

Hi and Welcome!

Maybe post a small sample of the file that exhibits this issue?

What is the error or what do you mean it does not get past that screen?

Thanks!
Eric

Thanks for your reply! I actually figured it out; I had to close out of the excel document for it to go through.

But I have another problem...

I have 2 computers I'm testing, running off 1 excel document in a shared folder. Both computers were able to create linked maps off the spreadsheet.

When my primary computer updates the excel document and hits Shift F9 to update mappoint, it works fine.

When I hit shift F9 on my second computer, without the excel document open (this computer just want to see a new map, not make any changes), it gives me this error:

"Set name: Service Clinic final test

MapPoint could not open the data source object. Make sure it exist and is accessible. If your data source has been moved or renamed you can restablish the link my changing the data source path from the data set properties dialog."

what is the data set properties dialog?

You probably want to right-click on the item in the legend.

Looks like the original problem is back. I wonder if it has anything to do with me running one with excel 2003/xp and the other excel 2007/vista?

I get to this screen and can't move forward. That part was fine a few hours earlier.
http://i53.tinypic.com/24qlr7k.jpg

F2 column is the one I want as my primary key because they're almost sequential, no repeats.

I'm guessing that you need to specify some fields for matching the data to the map, typically lat/lon or address, city, state or zip or something.

I see you have one field identified as Address, but maybe it needs more such as City or Zip Code.

Just guessing, but hope this helps! Let us know how it goes.

Eric

I use address, city, state, zip for my fields... What's odd is, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, with the exact same file, exact same instance. The problem seems intermittant. Might not have to do with mappoint though, but I think my workbook settings and sharing settings are properly set...

Gonna have to work on this one some more :thinking:

Is it even possible to use an excel file in a shared folder on multiple computers like i'm trying to do?

You see how in the first row of data, you actually have field names?

(Unless you are using a Named Range) The worksheet should only have field or column names in row 1, and the data should start on row 2.

Hope this helps!

Eric