Knowledge Base

ACC: "External Table Isn't in Expected Format" Error Message

Article ID: 135374

Article Last Modified on 1/19/2007

APPLIES TO

Microsoft Access 95 Standard Edition
Microsoft Access 97 Standard Edition

This article was previously published under Q135374

Novice: Requires knowledge of the user interface on single-user computers.

SYMPTOMS

When you try to import a delimited text file, you may receive the following error message:

External table isn't in expected format.

No data is imported, nor is an Import Errors table created.

CAUSE

The first record in the delimited text file contains data in a format that Microsoft Access cannot recognize. For example, the record contains an incorrect field separator or is missing a field delimiter.

Microsoft Access must be able to import the first record of data correctly before continuing to import the rest of the file. If the first record has any data format problems, Microsoft Access stops the import process. However, if the second or a subsequent record has unrecognizable data, Microsoft Access continues importing and creates an Import Errors table that includes error descriptions of the data problem.

RESOLUTION

Open the file in any text editor, such as WordPad, and change the data to a properly delimited format.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

Start WordPad and type the following values into a new document:

      "Davolio"~"Nancy"
      "King","Robert"
      "Suyama","Michael"

Save the file as a text document named Test.txt, and then close WordPad.
Start Microsoft Access and create a new database called Db1.mdb.

Create the following new macro:

      Macro Name     Action
      -------------------------------------
      Macro1         TransferText

      Macro1 Actions
      -------------------------------------
      TransferText
         Transfer Type: Import Delimited
         Table Name: Test1
         File Name: <full path to Test.txt>
         Has Field Names: No

Close and save the Macro1 macro.
From the Database window, run the Macro1 macro. Note that you receive the following error message:

External table isn't in expected format

REFERENCES

For more information about importing delimited text files, search the Help Index for "importing data," or ask the Microsoft Access 97 Office Assistant.

Additional query words: external table isn t in expected format

Keywords: kb3rdparty kberrmsg kbprb KB135374