Excel Data Links not working with relative paths

[JohnRpb]

I'm using several data links in a drawing, and I have no problem inserting them and updating them using full paths. But when I try to make the paths relative, they stop working. I'm fairly certain that I'm using relative paths correctly as I do the same thing with Xrefs and have no issues.

For example, the path is C:\stuff\excel files\spreadsheet. When I change the path to ..\excel files\spreadsheet, the status says "! Not Found".

Normally AutoCAD gives an error message when specifying an invalid path, but I am not getting that. So it seems that AutoCAD can locate the file, yet it is still "! Not Found" and will not update.

Am I doing something wrong? Could this be a bug? Unfortunately I can't upload the files here due to confidentiality.

Thanks in advance for your help.

-John

[qnologi]

I've used "full path" with no issue.

What is the benefit of using "relative path"?

I also, have never changed methods in mid-stream. 

Perhaps if you rename the "table" and "link" and stick to using one or the other "relative" or "full" paths, you will prevail.

[Anonymous]

that seems to be the common practice John.

after inserting the table and linking it to the datalink (I must insert them all full path as relative never works), you can then change the pathing in the reference manager and even though you get the !Not found in the status, if you save the drawing and then open it up it still shows up and not a boundary of the table.... what I plan on doing is actually editing the xls file to see if I can update the link.

It might just be a AutoCAD glitch

[Anonymous]

Then WHY is it still considered an "external reference" if it does not follow the rules of a reference?