SOLVED

Linked Picture Troubleshooting

Brass Contributor

I can't edit my linked photos in excel. I try to move/resize them and I can't even click them. Is there a way to troubleshoot this? Usually, I can move them right away but eventually, I can't select them and I don't know why.

9 Replies

Hi @Dbstedman 

 

maybe the sheet protection has been activated?

 

DTE_0-1649778884409.png

 

I just checked and it is not protected. I can move other graphs but not the linked picture.
Does it make a difference that this document is housed in SharePoint? I have it open in the desktop version but it is autosaving to SharePoint.

Hi @Dbstedman 

 

I do not think that it makes a difference where the picture is located. In the end, it's just an object in Excel and you should at least be able to select it/click on it.

Unfortunately, I do not have any other idea...

No worries, I'll see if I can get something else figured out instead. Thanks anyhow!
best response confirmed by Dbstedman (Brass Contributor)
Solution

@Dbstedman 

Objects can also be selected from within the selection pane (Home/Editing/Find&Select/SelectionPane.

image.png

Thing like multi-selection as changing the z-order are easier here but, if the sheet and objects are protected, then you will also be unable to select them from the pane.

Thank you, Peter! It looks like Excel put four copies of my linked picture over the top of the original. I still can't select the copies to delete them but I was able to hide them to get down to the one I did. The original I can move and edit as normal.
Is there a way to delete objects from here. I click them to select them but when I hit the delete key it doesn't remove them. If not, it's not a big deal as long as they stay hidden. I did verify that my sheet is not protected so that is not the problem.

@Peter Bartholomew 

So basically the visible "Picture 24" is what I want to be on top. I already sent it to front, but it is still below that white line and won't move up further. Those hidden pictures are all copies that overlap the original that I can't select, delete, or send to the background. Is there any way to troubleshoot this?

@Dbstedman 

I don't think I have ever seen the situation in which some objects are selectable and, hence, may be deleted, and others are not.  I am not sure what the 'white line' is other than, possibly, the highlight indicating the selected objects.

 

It is also possible to read the properties of any given shape from the Worksheet Shapes Collection using VBA and to apply a limited set of methods such as 'shp.delete' but, to be honest, I see no reason that should work better than performing the task from the GUI.

Sub inspectShape()
Dim sh As Shape
Set sh = ActiveSheet.Shapes(2)
sh.Delete
End Sub

 

1 best response

Accepted Solutions
best response confirmed by Dbstedman (Brass Contributor)
Solution

@Dbstedman 

Objects can also be selected from within the selection pane (Home/Editing/Find&Select/SelectionPane.

image.png

Thing like multi-selection as changing the z-order are easier here but, if the sheet and objects are protected, then you will also be unable to select them from the pane.

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