KNIME Can't Read Excel File Suddenly

KNIME Analytics Platform
1

Hello Fellow KNIMErs,

Unfortunately I can’t copy in workflows here due to work restrictions so I’ll try to explain as best as I can…

Every day we run workflows that read excel files using excel reader. In one workflow, as an example, the workflow unzips and saves excel file (which works perfectly) but then KNIME can’t read the excel file that has been unzipped. The only commonality is the excel files that can’t be read all come from one system from which we download the excel files. In my particular example, the error I am getting is…

  • Execute failed; java.io.IOException: Failed to read zip entry source

I wish I could attached a workflow but I can’t. It all started one day last week. If I go back and run the workflow using previous zip files, it runs without a hitch. Is there a setting or something I can check in the excel file that would isolate the cause? I see no difference in the files at all.

Thanks.

Chris

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Hi @chrisgranelli , I don’t think it’s an issue with the Excel Reader. You said it yourself:

All seems to point that there is an issue with the file.

Also, the error message seems to be complaining about the zipped file. Are you sure that the file was successfully unzipped? Can you try to manually open the file via Excel to see if it’s not corrupted?

1 Like
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The unzip works great and deposits the file in the pre-defined directory. If I unzip and save the file manually, I have no issues, KNIME reads the file just fine. Yes I completely agree, there must be an issue with the excel file, something about it is different from previous days. However, it opens manually just fine, which confuses me all the more. I guess what would help is…are there any excel file properties that would make the file unacceptable to excel reader node? On the face of it, other than the actual data within the excel file, it is identical day over day, same format, same extensions, everything…same columns…everything. Just very weird.

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This is quite weird indeed @chrisgranelli . I can’t really think of how to troubleshoot this.

As an alternative to be able to process the file, can you try this:

  1. Open the file via Excel
  2. Save the file as another Excel file via Excel
  3. Use the newly saved Excel file in your workflow
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Well, I did adapt the workflow to use the manually saved excel file, but that kind of adds a daily step to user’s day. This is fine for now, just trying to ID the cause. I’m wondering if it has something to do with this, my only guess…

https://forum.knime.com/t/reading-files-with-azure-information-protection/31894

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Yes, it was not meant as a permanent solution, but rather as an immediate solution to allow you to process the current file. It also confirms that something definitely changed the way the file was generated.

I’m not sure if it’s related to the thread you provided, since the error message is different.

Can you find out what changed from your file provider?

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@chrisgranelli with what sort of path are the files read with? Knime protocol or full path? Can you try a relative path?

Also could you provide us with a log file set to debug mode?

And there is this, can you check if this might be the case with your files

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