External table is not in the expected format

[Joanchka]

I've been working on this for the last 5 hours without success, so perhaps someone here can help.


I have an Excel spreadsheet linked as an external table, but when I try to use an update query I get the error "External table is not in the expected format", but only on certain records.


The spreadsheet is .xls and will work ok on certain rows no problem but fail on others (I found this out through trial and error).


The data is html, but I just don't have a clue why some works and others don't.


I've attached two small spreadsheets - once called DoesWork and one called DoesntWork.


Hopefully someone can point me in the right direction.


:banghead:

 

[Joanchka]

I seem to be making headway here and it may not be an Access problem, but the software company I'm leaving cutting off xls files after around 7k characters

 

[Joanchka]

OKay, well it isn't that company as I thought. I can't see all the data in excel on the longer item, (it also isn't in the formula bar or print preview), but if I just copy the cell and paste into notepad, the entire cell data is there!