How to edit external workbook reference link?

4 Nov 20252 minutes to read

Existing external workbook reference link can be modified through URL property of ExternWorkbookImpl class. Please find the code snippet below.

C# [Cross-platform]

string DataPathBase = System.Environment.CurrentDirectory + @"\";
using (ExcelEngine excelEngine = new ExcelEngine())
{
  IApplication application = excelEngine.Excel;
  application.DefaultVersion = ExcelVersion.Xlsx;
  IWorkbook workbook = application.Workbooks.Open("Sample.xlsx");
  string filepath = (workbook as WorkbookImpl).ExternWorkbooks[0].URL;

  (workbook as WorkbookImpl).ExternWorkbooks[0].URL = DataPathBase + "Template.xlsx";

  workbook.SaveAs("Output.xlsx");
}

C# [Windows-specific]

string DataPathBase = System.Environment.CurrentDirectory + @"\";
using (ExcelEngine excelEngine = new ExcelEngine())
{
  IApplication application = excelEngine.Excel;
  application.DefaultVersion = ExcelVersion.Xlsx;
  IWorkbook workbook = application.Workbooks.Open("Sample.xlsx");
  string filepath = (workbook as WorkbookImpl).ExternWorkbooks[0].URL;

  (workbook as WorkbookImpl).ExternWorkbooks[0].URL = DataPathBase + "Template.xlsx";

  workbook.SaveAs("Output.xlsx");
}

VB.NET [Windows-specific]

Dim DataPathBase As String = (System.Environment.CurrentDirectory + "\")
Using excelEngine As ExcelEngine = New ExcelEngine
  Dim application As IApplication = excelEngine.Excel
  application.DefaultVersion = ExcelVersion.Xlsx
  Dim workbook As IWorkbook = application.Workbooks.Open("Sample.xlsx")
  Dim filepath As String = CType(workbook, WorkbookImpl).ExternWorkbooks(0).URL
  CType(workbook, WorkbookImpl).ExternWorkbooks(0).URL = (DataPathBase + "Template.xlsx")
  workbook.SaveAs("Output.xlsx")
End Using