Links do not update

Jim_HiTek · August 22, 2025, 7:38pm

Libre Office 25.2; Ubuntu 25.04

I have a main CALC spreadsheet (XLS - imported it 14 years ago into LO) where I have several links set up to auto-update the cells. It’s got the same problem it has always had with every OS or LO upgrade…it does not want to auto-update those cells with links with this message:

“Security warning: Automatic update of external links has been disabled.” Then shows ‘Help’ ‘Allow Updating’ buttons. In past versions when I’d click on Allow, it would update the cells but it would display the same warning the next time the SS was opened. This latest ver of LO no longer does that. The cells have current data that LO inserted prior to C&P’ing the SS into this new upgrade of Ubuntu, but this version of LO will not update it. The HELP is zero help. I have set it up and followed the help numerous times without anything changing.

Is this a new bug? Or does someone know a work around?

Thanks.

mariosv · August 22, 2025, 9:25pm

What’s the configuration in:

Jim_HiTek · August 22, 2025, 10:39pm

This is what mine looks like. Did not fix the problem. Still doesn’t update. I moved it from ‘On Request’ to ‘Always’. Saved, Closed, and Reopened, checked that the change was still there (it is) and it still shows the error message. And does not update the link values. I’ll try rebooting and see if that has any effect.

Rebooting didn’t fix it.

Hrbrgr · August 23, 2025, 7:00am

Try:

First steps to take before submitting a bug

and read:

How to open files from MS-Office 2007 or 2010 (.DOCX, .XLSX,…)?

EarnestAl · August 23, 2025, 8:53am

In Tools > Options > LibreOffice > Security > Security Options and Warnings is the box Block any links from documents not among the trusted locations (see Macro Security) unticked?

ms777 · August 23, 2025, 9:32am

do you happen to link to Google Sheets? Then have a look at Link to Google Sheet imports only first 100 rows

Jim_HiTek · August 23, 2025, 3:38pm

@EarnestAI: Yes, ‘Block any links not among the trusted locations’ is unticked.

Jim_HiTek · August 23, 2025, 3:41pm

@ms777: No, I do not use google sheets. All the SS files are in the same ‘2025’ folder on my local drive. I don’t use the cloud much and I’ve never put any SS there.

Wanderer · August 23, 2025, 5:32pm

And is your Snap-container allowed to “see”/read the file?
As you use Ubuntu I assume you use LibreOffice in a Snap…

Jim_HiTek · August 23, 2025, 5:48pm

@Wanderer: I do not know what you mean to ‘use LO in a Snap…’ as Snap is a way to install software, AFAIK. Snap had a poor reputation for many years over many versions of Ubuntu so if I had to install LO (it has come bundled with Ubuntu for years now) I’d find instructions on google and install it using terminal. So, no, I’ve never seen a ‘Snap-container’ that I know of and never set it to “see”/Read the file.

Can you explain what you mean?

Jim_HiTek · August 31, 2025, 8:34pm

Problem still exists even after several minor OS updates (remember that LO comes with Ubuntu). I put in a bug report again…like I have several times over the years…and still nothing. It’s a feature of LO that should work but does not. When it has happened over and over in the past with each new upgrade of Ubuntu, usually after several weeks some upgrade or other causes LO to update the SS line items that come from the 6 other SSs like normal but the error message remains. So far this time, it displays the error message but does not update. I suspect I should just revert to OpenOffice and dump LO.

Jim_HiTek · September 2, 2025, 4:52pm

I’m not sure what happened other than 2 OS updates occurred and the problem seems to have been solved and it now updates the linked values when I open the main LO spreadsheet. Now, when I click on ‘Allow Updating’ button in the message banner, it does actually update the values. It hadn’t been doing that. The updating problem could have been fixed by a coder who read my bug report and the fix came with the latest OS updating. This same bug has been with LO for years now and it often cures itself but it takes weeks after an OS upgrade…reminder…LO is bundled with Ubuntu.

HOWEVER, the error banner still pops up on the page even if there isn’t any security issue I’m aware of. I have set the defaults (as shown above in replies) to avoid the security banner but I’ve never found a way to eliminate it. I am the sole user of this single PC and generally try to set up any OS upgrades to allow Read & Write all the time for all my directories.

So for now, the problem of LO not updating link values is solved by an OS update, but the security banner problem lives on.