[texhax] ~\ref{} and \cite{}

[Bryan W. Lepore]

i have two separate .tex files.  i'd like to refer to Figures, Tables in 
the first .tex file from within the second .tex file via \cite

i know  \include{first_file} and ~\ref{table-1} will probably work, 
however ;

i'd rather do something like \cite[~\ref{table-1}]{citation-2008} but that 
obviously will fail - is there a way to get latex to parse the other file 
w/o using \include{first_file}?

-bryan