Linking to an Excel file fails in Inventor Professional

[harrywt]

I have Inventor Professional 2020.3 and Excel 2019.

I noticed that my linked Inventor files were no longer updating when I edited and save the linked Excel file. In the past I have deleted the link and re established it and this has always worked. Now when I do it one sees the link but the parameters don't load/appear (see capture.jpg)

I created a new ipt file and a new Excel file since I wondered if there was some corruptions in the existing files that I had been working on. I also freshly re booted my computer.

Ideas welcomed

Best regards,

Harry

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Harry,

I thought the Excel file was stored on OneDrive. But, it does not look like that. Regarding Excel 2019, is it the one with Excel.exe installed on your machine? Is it 64-bit or 32-bit Excel? If possible, please install 64-bit Excel (Office).

Another possibility is the Inventor isn't properly registered to Windows. Go to CMD -> run the following command.

"C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Inventor 2020\Bin\Inventor.exe" / install

Another test to try is to create an iPart. Open any existing ipt file -> Manage -> Create iPart. Does it work?

Many thanks!

[harrywt]

Excel is local and 64 bit

The command was entered and it starts Inventor seemingly the same as
when I click on the start menu icon

I get the dialog box in the screen capture when I click create iPart

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Harry,

It sounds like Inventor isn't aware that Excel.exe is present or your user profile does not allow such process to start. Try this real quick. Right-click on Inventor shortcut icon -> Properties -> Compatibility -> check "Run as Admin."

Does it work now?

Many thanks!

[harrywt]

wow, sincerely sorry I let this slide so long. I don't even remember if I solved this as I haven't used parameters in some time

[harrywt · Accepted solution]

I tried running as administrator and it does not solve the problem. I tried editing the excel file from browser and got an error message "Failed to launch server application". Excel was not running while I tried this. I also tried a regedit fix I found in an Inventor 2018 forum (see below)

If I run command "EXCEL.EXE -REGSERVER", excel starts. If I open the parameter file, then start Inventor, I can click "edit" in the Inventor browser and I get switched to the parameter file. If I change a parameter and save the Excel file, Inventor "reacts"  and even shows the "lightning" icon to show that the part/assembly needs updating. However, nothing updates. Upon opening the parameters dialog box, one sees no change and one notices the yellow highlight. (see attached.)

Causes:An older release of Microsoft Excel was not uninstalled completely.

Solution:Try the following:

1. Start Regedit.exe (Microsoft Windows Registry Editor).
2. Search for String "{00024500-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}".
3. Rename this key as a backup.
4. Go to Excel-Installation-Folder.
5. Run command "EXCEL.EXE -REGSERVER".

If the above does not work, then try creating a new Windows user profile.

[harrywt]

To Be Sure

This DID NOT solve my problem