Import an Excel file saved as text

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

We have a system that automatically exports files of data from our system.
They are saved as an Excel file with the .xls extension. However, the files
when you open and do a save as function, they are defaulted to a file type of
txt(text tab delimited).

I want to be able to import these files as they are into a database in order
to run some lists and functionality. I cannot even import the file on its own
manually through the Get extermal Data menu, it errors and says that the file
is not of the correct format.

Any help???

Thanks,
Dustin
 
Hi Dustin,

It sounds as if your system is exporting text files but giving them an
..xls extension as if they were Excel files. Then when you use the import
wizard to try and import them into Access, the .xls extension causes
them to be treated as Excel files, so of course they won't import.

If that's the case, the only sensible thing to do is to modify the
system that's creating the bogus .xls files so that they get an
appropriate extension (probably .csv, .txt or .tab).
 
Hi John,

Part of the problem is that the program doing our automatic lists is
untouchable. The exported files are opened up in Excel , and show up as a
normal Excel file does with data in individual cells. However, if you go to
save the file, it is defaulted to the txt file type internally.
 
Open the ".xls" file with Notepad. That will show if it's a text file or
something else.

If it's a text file, the problem is with the "untouchable" application,
becuase it's breaking the rules by giving it a .xls extension. You need
to change the application. If that's really not possible, I suggest you
desecrate the grave of the person who created it, because the only other
solution is to rename the files as I suggested.
 
Back
Top