data from external files - path keeps changing

So this is a peculiar problem:

I am running Linux Mint Cinnamon with LibreOffice Version: 6.3.3.2
Build ID: a64200df03143b798afd1ec74a12ab50359878ed

I have a folder on my desktop named “excel files” (path is /home/user/Desktop/excel files). This folder has 11 excel files in it (.xlsx) as they were created on Windows 10, Excel 365.

the main file is named: Combined Financials - new.xlsx

It has multiple sheets and various cells in these sheets pull data from 5 external files in the same folder namely:

  1. biz plan fv bangalore 5 years.xlsx
  2. biz plan fv chandigarh 5 years.xlsx
  3. biz plan fv delhi 5 years changed.xlsx
  4. biz plan fv mumbai 5 years.xlsx
  5. biz plan fv pune 5 years.xlsx

These 5 files too have multiple sheets and pull data from 5 others files also in this same folder

  1. fv target market bangalore.xlsx
  2. fv target market chandigarh.xlsx
  3. fv target market delhi.xlsx
  4. fv target market mumbai.xlsx
  5. fv target market pune.xlsx

When I open e.g. biz plan fv bangalore 5 years.xlsx I get a popup message in Libre Calc:

The following external file could not be loaded. Data linked from this file could not get updated.

file:///home/user/Desktop/excel files/home/user/Desktop/excel files/fv target market mumbai.xlsx

Now the one of cells making the reference call is from a sheet called Working Calcs the cell is C7 and ideally the entry should be: =‘file:///home/bijal/Desktop/excel files/fv target market mumbai.xlsx’#$‘User and Sales QTY’.F21

BUT the entry is:

=‘file:///home/bijal/Desktop/excel files/home/bijal/Desktop/excel files/fv target market mumbai.xlsx’#$‘User and Sales QTY’.F21

see the path being injected twice!!!

But no matter what I do i.e. change this path manually, re-reference it, re-do completely, Edit > Links to External files and then modify the link there… and then save. The moment I reopen the file the same error occurs.

This is happens with every file that references cells from external files.

Please help guys. No idea what to do!!!

Thanks
Bijal

There are several bugs about links in xlsx files xlsx link bugs and specifically Links to external data not preserved (doubled) for XLSX saving in Linux version 6.1.5 what must be your issue. Please add your comment to the bug report.