Limited string size of binary Excel input

Question

I have a bit of a dilemma that I am trying to resolve.

I am imputing binary Excel files into my workflow. I was able to read the file by installing Microsoft Access Database Engine 2013 based on instructions here. However, there seems to be some type of limit on the size of the fields that are coming in.

Binary Excel file size 255 and V_WSting as type for every single field.

Same file converted to xlsx coming in with increased Size for the 2nd column.

Does anyone know how to input Excel binary files so that the field length is not limited to 255 characters?  I am hoping to bypass converting the file from xlsb to xlsx.

Armon24 · Answer

Hi Vradcha1,

I found this solution in another community post. Hopefully this works.

https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Designer-Discussions/How-to-input-data-in-XLSB-file-with-more-than-255-fields-columns/td-p/595915

"This is an issue with .xlsb files, but you should be able to import the worksheet in segments, 255 columns at a time, then combine at the beginning of the workflow.  Attached is a workflow that brings in data from a test .xlsb in three Input Data tools:  columns A:IU (first 255), columns IV-SR (second 255), and then the remainder.  A Record ID tool after each gives the Join Multiple tool a common element to join on.  The Record ID fields can be manually deselected in the Join Multiple tool, but I added a Dynamic Select tool with a formula so I didn't have to look through 500+ fields to find the ones to deselect.  If the workflow errors due to the file being opened when the subsequent Input Data tool starts then a batch macro could be used to import each column group, but additional tools, such as Cross Tab, would be necessary to format the data.

I included the full data set from the .xlsb in the workflow as a Text Input tool for you to test the workflow."

Import large xlsb.yxmd