Including images in cells that will sort and export to Excel

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Level 1

4 points

Including images in cells that will sort and export to Excel

I am working on list that includes thumbnail images of artworks and I need to be able to share the document with Windows users, therefore, I need to make sure it works in Excel. However, when I add an image to a cell in Numbers it is not included in the exported Excel file. Currently, I am adding the images to Numbers as cell backgrounds -- I can't figure out any other way to do it so that the image in the cell sorts with the associated data in its row -- and Excel doesn't support background images; however, I can drop an image into Excel and set it to move (sort) with the cell. It seems to me if Excel will do it, then Numbers should too.

In short, how can I add images as data contained in a cell so they will move with their associated data when sorted AND will export to Excel.

Thanks,

-RE.

MacBook 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Mar 15, 2010 6:56 AM

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Answer 1

KOENIG Yvan

Level 8

41,807 points

Mar 15, 2010 8:46 AM in response to BikerBob

BikerBob wrote:
I can drop an image into Excel and set it to move (sort) with the cell. It seems to me if Excel will do it, then Numbers should too.

I don't understand why you think that.

Apple is not forced to do what M…soft does !

Yvan KOENIG (VALLAURIS, France) lundi 15 mars 2010 16:45:56

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Answer 2

BikerBob Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 15, 2010 8:56 AM in response to KOENIG Yvan

I understand that Numbers and Excel are not the same product nor do exactly the same thing, but I just thought this was a basic function -- Excel is used a lot in the art gallery world to make lists of images -- and that there must be a way to do the same thing with Numbers. And this is a case where Apple should do what MS does... I don't say that often, but in this case it would be helpful!

-RE.

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Answer 3

KOENIG Yvan

Level 8

41,807 points

Mar 15, 2010 9:21 AM in response to BikerBob

BikerBob wrote:
I understand that Numbers and Excel are not the same product nor do exactly the same thing, but I just thought this was a basic function -- Excel is used a lot in the art gallery world to make lists of images -- and that there must be a way to do the same thing with Numbers. And this is a case where Apple should do what MS does... I don't say that often, but in this case it would be helpful!

I repeat that it's not a rule.

Wen M…soft introduce a feature it's because some users asked for it. So, if Apple was applying your thoughts, every XL feature would be available in Numbers.
At this time, we may insert pictures in Numbers's cells. We may also use them as cell's background.

What is missing is the ability to export these embedded pictures.
The feature is clearly described during the export process.

My guess is that during the Numbers's writing, some one misunderstood the XL behaviour.
As they read that XL can't accept background pictures, he dropped the pictures export forgetting that if the picture is simply inserted, XL is able to work whith it.

This is not an Apple's explanation, it's the way I understand the behaviour.

I continue to think that Apple is perfectly free to drop a feature but, as the true behaviour may be the result of an error, I filed a report to bugs hunters.

+Your tracking number for this issue is Bug ID# 7753989.+

+In Numbers, we may put pictures in cells using two schemes.+

+scheme 1 : use the picture as background. This feature is unavailabe in Excel+

+scheme 2 : insert the picture by copy paste or drag & drop. This feature is available in Excel.+

+So, I'm wondering if the fact that pictures embedded in cells can't be exported to Excel is the result of a partial knowledge of Excel's features.+
+If it is, it would be interesting to be able to export inserted pictures.+

Yvan KOENIG (VALLAURIS, France) lundi 15 mars 2010 17:13:01

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Answer 4

Badunit

Level 7

25,940 points

Mar 15, 2010 9:39 AM in response to BikerBob

For my own education, how do you insert an image into an Excel cell?

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Answer 5

BikerBob Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 15, 2010 9:49 AM in response to KOENIG Yvan

So you filed a bug report on this issue? Thanks.

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Answer 6

BikerBob Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 15, 2010 9:56 AM in response to Badunit

To Badunit (and apologies to others, this is a bit off topic),

You can insert an image in Excel using the Insert > Picture menu or simply drag and drop from Finder. Position the image where you want it, and you're done. If you want the picture to stay in a particular cell, use the Format > Picture dialogue to set the Properties to "Move and Size with Cells." It works best if the image is fully enclosed by a cell's borders.

The problem that I initially posted is that Numbers and Excel handle image in cells in different ways, which means that when exporting from Numbers the images are lost in Excel. Bummer. I was hoping this wasn't the case and that there was a feature I didn't know about in Numbers.

-RE.

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Answer 7

Badunit

Level 7

25,940 points

Mar 15, 2010 4:19 PM in response to BikerBob

Thanks for the info. I must be doing something wrong because I still can't get it to work in Excel. But that's off-topic and I'll figure out what I'm doing wrong some other day. I like the way Numbers does it. Too bad it is not exportable and importable.

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Answer 8

LUIMZIM

Level 1

9 points

May 4, 2010 7:07 AM in response to BikerBob

i work at a museum and i'm having the same problem with being unable to export images from numbers to excel. did anyone every find a solution to this issue?

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