Sub Auto_Open()
Application.OnSheetActivate = "UpdateIt"
End Sub

Sub UpdateIt()
Dim iP As Integer
Application.DisplayAlerts = False
For iP = 1 To ActiveSheet.PivotTables.Count
   ActiveSheet.PivotTables(iP).RefreshTable
Next
Application.DisplayAlerts = True
End Sub
[download]

Thanks Martin. This non-perl intensive solution sure works for me :)

Sounds like you've already got a workable answer, but for the record, I've had a lot of luck constructing feature-rich Excel files using Excel and some sample data, and then saving them as XML.

Once you've got an Excel/XML file, it's not difficult to open in up and extrapolate the format and location of the data part of the file. Now you have a 'template' Excel document, and it's just a matter of substituting your data for the sample stuff, using whatever means you feel comfortable with. (Perl, PHP, XSLT, etc)

It's worth pointing out that although Excel names XML files '.xml', you can name them the usual '.xls' and Excel will open them just the same.

I make it sound straightforward, and it is, but do expect to spend some time ironing out bugs related to what formats and tags Excel expects.

Thanks Buddy. Will sure try this out too.

Xaositect: what you're saying is really interesting, since - I think - I have to do more or less the same thing:

as an example: I have an Excel file with 2 tabs: 1st tab is just data 2nd tab has a few pivot tables using the data.

=> I'd like to create a Perl script that would update the data in the 1st tab, and then save the file with the pivot tables updated (then, the script would read the pivot tab and do stuff, but I can do that already).

For now, I've tried with:
use Spreadsheet::ParseExcel::SaveParser;
I can update the data, but the pivot tables disappear to be replaced by "hard coded" data (I need to keep the pivot tables, so users can play with them on the dates and other stuff they need).

Thanks for your help !

ps: I'm under Solaris... to help things :/ So, as far as I know, I can't use Win32::OLE or VB scripts

Hello

Xaositect, whom you asked a question, hasn't been here in 7 months.

The node to which you replied is 6 years old.

Welcome, see The Perl Monks Guide to the Monastery, see How do I post a question effectively?, Where should I post X?

AFAIK, pivot tables are formulas, and

http://search.cpan.org/grep?cpanid=JMCNAMARA&release=Spreadsheet-ParseExcel-0.59&string=formula&i=1&n=1&C=0

says Also, formulas aren't rewritten, only the result of a formula is written.

meaning, you're running into a known limitation

Bye

I don't know what a "pivot table" is exactly, but it sounds like you want Spreadsheet::WriteExcel for the output.