Error importing/Linking Excel File

[TA Bran via AccessMonster.com]

I have a pc running Windows XP SP2 and Office 2003 SP1. The problem I'm
experiencing is that I cannot import or link an Excel file in Access. When I
try I get the error message "The wizard is unable to access information in
the file 'C:\xxx.xls' Please check that the file exists and is in the correct
format." The file is not read-only and sits on my local drive. I can open
the file sucessfully in MS Excel and it looks just fine. I found the
following MS KB article:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;283881

and followed its suggestions, to no avail. Has anyone seen this before? Any
help/advice would be appreciated.

-TA

 

[Klatuu]

Have you check your references to see if any are missing?
My guess is you are missing references to Microsoft Excel 11.0 Object
Library and maybe Microsoft Office 11.0 Object Library

 

[John Nurick]

Can you import data from other Excel workbooks? If so, it's a fair
assumption that the problem is in this particular workbook.

One of these should fix it:

1) open it in Excel and Save As, making sure it's saved as an "Excel
Workbook" and not some earlier version

2) open in Excel, export the data you want to CSV, import that into
Access.

 

[TA Bran via AccessMonster.com]

Thanks for your help you two. The problem turned out being the file format.
Though it was named: FILE.XLS, it was actually a DBF file. Excel was still
able to open it in native format, however, and didnt give me any indication
that it was doing so on the fly. The only clue came when I tried Saving As
and saw the default file format listed below.

So it looks like this error message is one you can expect from Access if you
indicate the incorrect file format.

Thanks again,

TA

 

[John Nurick]

Thanks for your help you two. The problem turned out being the file format.
Though it was named: FILE.XLS, it was actually a DBF file. Excel was still
able to open it in native format, however, and didnt give me any indication
that it was doing so on the fly. The only clue came when I tried Saving As
and saw the default file format listed below.

So it looks like this error message is one you can expect from Access if you
indicate the incorrect file format.

Yes. Excel silently converts quite a variety of file formats as it opens
them, and as far as I know you don't get a warning until you save them
and risk losing stuff that can't be stored in that particular format.
Access on the other hand relies on being told the file format to use and
will complain if you tell it wrong.

 

[Doug F.]

I also got this message when the xls had a password on it.
I removed the password and all was Ok.