Open Excel file from Access and copy a picture to the Access form

Question

So I have an excel workbook that has a nice global map of shaperange objects. With some very simple code I can change the colors, group and ungroup collections of countries into arrays, etc...and it works pretty well. However, I would like to bring this into Access.

So I could copy and paste all the shapes into an access form manually, but then they become pictures and I cannot change the colors of the countries (shaperange objects) to have the map act interactively as I can in excel.

So I am thinking that I know how to use excel functions from access, and how to open excel from access. Is there a way to copy an object from excel (I know the file name and the shape name that i mean to copy everytime), and bringing it back to access to paste on a form?

Atypical, I know, all my Access questions are. Thanks!

EDIT:

I would be happy to elaborate my half crazy idea. So I know how to open a new excel instance, or open a template behind the scene (w/o actually making it visible). And I know how to use vba to preform excel tasks, from access modules.....or even run formulas and excel functions from access. i have this interactive map program that works with excel modules, but I would like to make them a part of an access form.

So to answer the below question, if I can just find the missing link with copying and image/shaperange object from excel, and copying it into access form, then I can write code that will always grab the shapes from my excel template format the shapes in excel before copying and pasting into access form, where layout formatting can take place. when a user selects something on a form were I want to include an area of a global map with relative colors/shading, etc...access will always get the pre-defined map pieces it needs from a collection of object in a file/excel template. My idea was after the selection, I would format the shapes, just like I already do with vba, then ole.copy and ole.paste back into the access form. If it is a picture at that point, it doesn't matter. Atleast for the shape itself

lots of code but i think it is worth a try to try to incorporate excel and this shaperange object based map into a form enviroment like the access forms! Pretty strange but it might work well?? Some weird atypical things have become staples in my access database.

Answer 1

Well you're asking this:

"So I could copy and paste all the shapes into an access form manually, but then they become pictures and I cannot change the colors of the countries (shaperange objects) to have the map act interactively as I can in excel.

"So I am thinking that I know how to use excel functions from access, and how to open excel from access. Is there a way to copy an object from excel (I know the file name and the shape name that i mean to copy everytime), and bringing it back to access to paste on a form?"

Maybe some potential responders are asking themselves why if the present solution is not good enough to paste into an Access form because "then they become pictures," but it's okay to Automate the same procedure that you believe is substandard.

Maybe rephrasing the question would help.