That is entirely as I would expect.

You may want to rethink the way you are structuring this application to
reduce the number of levels of links or to use a database to hold the data.

If you want to ensure that all link sources at all levels are opened,
recalculated and closed when you open DocE.xls you would need a macro.

Open DocE.xls
Alt+F11 to the Visual Basic editor
Check that it is showing DocE.xls as the active project
Insert / Module
paste in the following:

Sub Auto_Open()
' get multiple levels of link sources updated after opening completed
 Application.OnTime Now, "UpdateMyLinks"
End Sub

Sub UpdateMyLinks()
 Application.ScreenUpdating = False
 UpdateLinksIn ThisWorkbook
 Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub

Sub UpdateLinksIn(WB As Workbook)
 Dim vLinks
 Dim iLink As Integer
 Dim wbSource As Workbook
 vLinks = WB.LinkSources(xlExcelLinks)
 If IsEmpty(vLinks) Then Exit Sub
 For iLink = LBound(vLinks) To UBound(vLinks)
   Set wbSource = Workbooks.Open(vLinks(iLink), ReadOnly:=True,
UpdateLinks:=0)
   UpdateLinksIn wbSource
   wbSource.Close saveChanges:=False
 Next
 Application.Calculate
End Sub

'---
Then close and save DOCE.xls
On opening DOCE.xls it should open all the linked workbooks for long enough
to get the information updated.

Bill Manville
MVP - Microsoft Excel, Oxford, England
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