How to detach a excel data linked table using VBA?
DataLink and Table in AutoCAD are 2 things that work together to fiil data in table. So, your question is a bit vague: do you want to remove the data link from a table (i.e. the table remains, while the data filled from the data link would be gone), or you want to remove the table itself, which has data from data link? And by either way, do you want to keep the data link in the drawing at the end, even no table uses the data link?
It is unfortunate that AutoCAD COM API/VBA does not support DataLink handling directly (creating/updating/removing a data link, which is saved in drawing's NamedDictionary "ACAD_DATALINK"), but you can somehow manipulate via AcadDictionary object in VBA in some degree (such as check if particular data link exists by name, or delete one by name). Also, there is no COM API to add/attach and remove/detach data link to AcadTable. So, I guess, if you want to remove Data link from a table (but keep the table), you may have to save the table information (row/column/style/data), delete the table and then recreate the table with the saved row/column/style/data.
On the other hand, if you can do AutoCAD .NET API, things would be a lot easier, because .NET API provides directway to handle DataLink and datalink in table.
OK, as I said in previous reply, there is no direct way to detach DataLink from a Table with COM API/VBA. The alternative is to directly delete the DataLink from drawing's NamedDictionary, if you do know the DataLink name and are sure the DataLink is only used by the table in interest.
Following code deletes a DataLink names as "TestTableData" from a drawing:
Public Sub Test()
Dim dic As AcadDictionary
On Error Resume Next
Set dic = ThisDrawing.Dictionaries("ACAD_DATALINK")
If Err.Number <> 0 Then Exit Sub
dic.Remove "TestTableData"
If Err.Number <> 0 Then
MsgBox "Cannot find item ""TestTableData"" in DataLink dictionary!"
Else
MsgBox "Datalink ""TestTableData"" has been removed successfully"
End If
End Sub
Hwever, after the DataLink is deleted from drawing's NamedDictionary, the table that uses this DataLink would still be data linked UNTIL you save the drawing, close it from AutoCAD. Once you reopen it in AutoCAD, you would see the table is no longer data linked, but the data from the previous DataLink remains.
Again, with AutoCAD .NET API, you can easily detach the datalink from table without having to deleting the DataLink itself, and you do not need to close the drawing for the detaching to take effect.
HTH
