WrapLink

Tags: Help, XLW, Unique Keys

Note: This page has been replaced by an updated and extended help page for WrapCreator at https://help.excelwraps.com/support/online-help/help-the-wraplink-widget/

A WrapLink pulls a cell value from another wrap instance. The XLW WRAPLINK() function is inserted into the cell. You will be guided to use a Holder Cell if you intend to use the extracted value in forward calculations (insert a dummy value for debugging in excel). The WrapLink cell formula calculates a string defining what information needs to be extracted from the cloud database and the holder cell is where the server will put the value.

NOTE: Download XLW Package using 'About XLW Subdomain' button. This should be updated periodically to sync XLW with your site contents.

All unique keys and a filter value must be selected (a filter value can be either an input cell name or a calculated cell name). The WrapLink Formula Builder form inserts a WrapLink Formula into the active cell.

=Wraplink("Class395-Bogie-PackPredictor?mileage=2000000&unit=395009&car=MS2&end=2&Filter=_ht12")

This can be edited to include Excel formulas e.g. if the mileage is in cell A1, the unit number in A2 and the car type is in A3 we could use the following formula.

=Wraplink("Class395-Bogie-PackPredictor?mileage="&A1&"&unit="&A2&"&car="&A4&"&end=2&Filter=_ht12")

In the wrap the WrapLink will respond in one of the following ways:

  1. It will place the filter value into the WrapLink cell and include a hyperlink to the specified wrap instance highlighting the filter cell in bright yellow. It will also poke the value into any specified HOLDER cells to trigger any dependant calculations.
  2. If a filter value is not specified it will insert the work 'Link' and include a hyperlink to the specified wrap instance.
  3.  is displayed if the specified wrap instance has not yet been created and the link does not include an autonumber. Click to create a new wrap instance using the unique key combination specified by the WrapLink. Alternatively these links can be created in one action using the large green PrePopulate button at the bottom of the wrap page.
  4.  is displayed if the specified wrap instance has not yet been created and the link includes an autonumber (links with autonumbers cannot be created in one action using the large green PrePopulate button at the bottom of the wrap page). Click each individually to create a new wrap instance using the unique key combination specified by the WrapLink.
  5.  is displayed if the specified wrap instance has not yet been created but the user does not have permission to create the wrap instance. It is also displayed if it exists but you do not have permission to view the instance.
  6.  is displayed if the WrapLink points to a wrap that is not installed or where the unique key combination is invalid (does not resolve to a single wrap instance).
  7. is displayed if the WrapLink points to a wrap that is not installed or where the unique key combination is invalid (does not resolve to a single wrap instance).
  8.  is displayed if the wrap has been created but the filter value is empty or null.
  9.  is displayed if evaluation of the WrapLink is unstable (i.e. it does not settle to a steady value after a number of wrap calculation iterations). Click on the icon to trigger another attempt but it is likely that the wrap source spreadsheet contains an error or a circular reference.
  10. If no filter is defined WrapLinks no cell value is extracted but it creates the text "Link" with a hyperlink to the wrap using the unique key combination.
  11. If the WrapLink string is "" the no link is created. This may be useful if an Excel IF statement is included in the WrapLink formula.
  12. If the Wrap Freeze signature is signed off a WrapLink will not update itself and will store the value of the WrapLink at the time the Freeze signature was made. Thus values held by the wrap at the time of signature cannot be corrupted.

Note About URL Characters - Special characters in URLs are converted into a format that can be transmitted over the Internet (e.g. '$' is encoded as '%24' see Full URL Encoding Reference). When constructing URLs in WrapLinks you may need to encode special characters. This is easily done using the worksheet function EncodeUrl() but this is only available Excel 2013 or later. If you are using a version prior to Excel2013 XLW has its own function called UrlEncode() that you may use.

WrapLinks Used with AutoNumbers - AutoNumbers create an automatic indexing cell on a wrap instance. They always form the final part of the unique key combination. There are some special keywords for AutoNumbers that can be used in WrapLinks.

  1. 'First' - this will go to the lowest AutoNumber.
  2. 'Last' - this will go to the highest AutoNumber.
  3. '*' - this will create a link to a new AutoNumber, it will take the value 'Last' + 1.

WrapLinks Used with Wrap SignOff Cells - Signatures contain information about the person who has signed, the company they work for, the data and time that it was signed, the role required for signoff and the role required for unsigning. There are some special keywords for SignOff cells that can be used in WrapLinks ('cell' is the Excel Name given to the signature cell).

  1. '&filter-sig-detail=cell' - this will provide all the details of the signature e.g. "Crash Test Dummy, MoreVision Limited - Stainburn 09/12/2016 19:23 Sign(Operative) Unsign(Manager)".
  2. '&filter-sig-summary=cell' - this provides the signature Summary e.g. "CTD 09/12/2016".
  3. '&filter-sig-datetime=cell' - this provides the date and time of the signature e.g. "09/12/2016 19:23".
  4. '&filter-sig-date=cell' - this provides the date of the signature e.g. "09/12/2016".
  5. '&filter-sig-time=cell' - this provides the time of the signature e.g. "19:23".
  6. Also supported is filter-sig-username, filter-sig-firstname, filter-sig-lastname, filter-sig-nickname, filter-sig-company, filter-sig-location, filter-sig-workgroup, filter-sig-roles

WrapLinks Never Update Frozen Wraps - Once a freeze signature is signed then Wraplinks, WraplinkLists and WrapLinkAggregates will not update. This is so that the loaded wrap always reflects the condition when the freeze signature was signed.