error message during inputting ".xls"

[Kinga]

Hi all.

At the beginning let me say that I'm new with Alteryx, I have it on my computer only for 3 days. If my question could be silly, please forgive.

I tried to import (few times) "xls" file using Input tool from Dubai drive (I'm based in Warsaw), but when I should select a sheet from this file each time after some waiting, I received message (in red):

"Timed out in

DataWrap2_InboundNamedPipe::ReadFile: after 30000 milliseconds"

This file does not have password or something like this and I have normal access to it.

I asked my coworker in Dubai to try import data from this file and she received the same message.

Do you have an idea of the reason and how to fix it?

Thanks in advance

[BrandonB]

Where do you get this file from? Sometimes other systems that output excel files can do strange things to files. Can you open the xls file in Excel and try re-saving the file to an xlsx format and try bringing this into Alteryx? I am curious if the problem is with the file itself.

[Kinga]

Thanks for quick reply.

Yes, it is a file generated by system (IT team, not mine, not sure what kind of system it is), but if I copy this file into my Desktop I'm able to connect without any issues. Still xls, just copied.

[BrandonB]

So it sounds like the issue is only when you try to read directly from the network drive. Do you have any more information about how this network drive is set up? I wonder if there is some IT restriction on it.

A time out error is normally referencing something having issues connecting to a network location.

[jarrod · Accepted solution]

just a shot in the dark, but i've come across something like this with xls files before. i had to convert the file to xlsx to get it to work. In Excel -> File -> Convert (big icon in the upper left hand cornder to the right of the green menu bar)

The other way i've opened xls files is actually changing the file type to csv and set the delimiter to tab \t

[Kinga]

thanks Brandon.

Unfortunately I can try to ask IT department the earliest next week, but definitely try to do this. 

[Kinga]

Hi jarrod.

Thanks, it worked. Maybe because it is Friday and much less people is working on Dubai drive, but "xls" still not working.

I'm not clicking "Accept as Solution", because I hope that someone else would find a solution in "xls". But if it won't happen soon, I will.