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Q110411: BUG: "Invalid Excel File Format" with IMPORT Command

Article: Q110411
Product(s): Microsoft FoxPro
Version(s): MACINTOSH:2.5b; MS-DOS:2.0,2.5,2.5a,2.5b; WINDOWS:2.5,2.5a,2.5b
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 05-FEB-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft FoxPro for MS-DOS, versions 2.0, 2.5, 2.5a, 2.5b 
- Microsoft FoxPro for Windows, versions 2.5, 2.5a, 2.5b 
- Microsoft FoxPro for Macintosh, version 2.5b 
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SYMPTOMS
========

You receive the "Invalid Excel File Format" error message when you are importing
a Microsoft Excel version 5.0 file into FoxPro.

NOTE: In FoxPro 2.0 for MS-DOS, you will get the error message "Invalid Excel
version 2.0 file" when you are importing worksheets in Microsoft Excel 3.0, 4.0,
or 5.0 file format.

CAUSE
=====

With each release of Microsoft Excel, the file format that Microsoft Excel uses
has changed. FoxPro 2.0 can import only Microsoft Excel 2.0 files. FoxPro 2.5
for MS-DOS, Windows, and the Macintosh can import files in the Microsoft Excel
2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 formats.

Microsoft Excel 5.0 was not released until after FoxPro 2.5 for MS-DOS and
Windows were developed. FoxPro for Macintosh was developed at approximately the
same time as Microsoft Excel 5.0 for Windows. Therefore, support for importing
Microsoft Excel 5.0 format files was not built into FoxPro 2.5 for any platform.

RESOLUTION
==========

There are some workarounds to directly importing a Microsoft Excel 5.0
worksheet, all of which must be performed in Microsoft Excel. Two of these
workarounds are:

- Save the Microsoft Excel 5.0 file as a Microsoft Excel 4.0, 3.0, or 2.0
  format file. (IMPORTANT: Make sure you give the file a new name before you
  save it.) Then import this file with the IMPORT FROM <file> TYPE XLS
  command.

-or-

- Save the Microsoft Excel 5.0 file as a DBF format file. (IMPORTANT: Make sure
  you give the file a new name before you save it.) All versions of Microsoft
  Excel can save files in the DBF3 file format; in addition, Microsoft Excel
  3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 can save files in the DBF4 file format. FoxPro can open
  either of these two file formats.

  IMPORTANT: In versions of Microsoft Excel prior to 5.0, the database range
  must be defined in Microsoft Excel before the file is saved in one of the DBF
  formats. Data outside the database range will NOT be saved to the DBF format
  file.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at
the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new
information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

REFERENCES
==========

FoxPro for MS-DOS and Windows "Language Reference," version 2.5, pages L3-569
and L3-570

FoxPro for Macintosh "Language Reference," version 2.5, pages 468-469

Microsoft Excel "User's Guide 1," version 4.0, pages 60, 306, and 307

Additional query words: FoxMac FoxDos FoxWin buglist2.00 buglist2.50 buglist2.50a buglist2.50b append errmsg err msg

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbHWMAC kbOSMAC kbAudDeveloper kbFoxproSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbFoxPro250bMac kbFoxPro200DOS kbFoxPro250DOS kbFoxPro250aDOS kbFoxPro250bDOS kbFoxPro250 kbFoxPro250a kbFoxPro250b
Version           : MACINTOSH:2.5b; MS-DOS:2.0,2.5,2.5a,2.5b; WINDOWS:2.5,2.5a,2.5b

=============================================================================

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