I'm trying to create an ERD in Visio from exported tables from MySQL.
I exported each table to Excel.  I am on Windows XP 2002
Professional.  I have Visio Professional 2007.  I have Excel 2007.  In
the reverse engineer dialog box it looks like it accepts Excel
97-2000?  In any case MySQL exported them as Excel2003 so if I don't
open them it should work.

When I get to the Select Workbook Database Name dialog and select the
sheet  it gives me the error "external table is not in the expected
format".  This occurs even though I have the sheet saved both as
Excel2003or Excel 2007.  How can I get Visio to connect to the Excel
data source?  I have "generic odbc driver" selected.

When I start Reverse Engineer wizard, first dialog I choose Excel.
The next screen it allows me to choose the workbook.  Then I get the
error message.

*****This seems like it should work and would save typing a lot of
fields and table names. It doesn't seem like it should be a version
problem.  WHY WHEN I OPEN THE DIALOG TO SELECT THE datasource in Visio
2007 does it give me the option of Excel 97-2000?  Can't you connect
to Excel 2003 as a datasource.********


tia

{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\fnil\fprq2\fcharset0 MS Sans Serif;}}
\viewkind4\uc1\pard\f0\fs26 The Reverse Engineer wizard is displaying the various data source types that are registered with the ODBC Administrator for the system.  However, we do not have a Visio Database Driver for Excel.  You can select from the available options in a DB Model by selecting Database > Options > Drivers. 
\par 
\par The list does not include direct support for your MySQL setup.  However, the ODBC Generic Driver will work for most SQL based database servers - give that a try, and connect directly from Visio to your MySQL database server.
\par 
\par Barb Way
\par Product Support - Visio
\par Microsoft Corporation
\par [This posting is provided "As Is" with no warranties, and confers no rights.]
\par \pard\li720 --------------------
\par From: JRough 
\par Subject: [Create ERD in Visio]Reverse engineer  wizard can't create a 
\par \tab datasource from Excel
\par Date: Thu, 29 May 2008 13:04:54 -0700 (PDT)
\par 
\par I'm trying to create an ERD in Visio from exported tables from MySQL.
\par I exported each table to Excel.  I am on Windows XP 2002
\par Professional.  I have Visio Professional 2007.  I have Excel 2007.  In
\par the reverse engineer dialog box it looks like it accepts Excel
\par 97-2000?  In any case MySQL exported them as Excel2003 so if I don't
\par open them it should work.
\par 
\par When I get to the Select Workbook Database Name dialog and select the
\par sheet  it gives me the error "external table is not in the expected
\par format".  This occurs even though I have the sheet saved both as
\par Excel2003or Excel 2007.  How can I get Visio to connect to the Excel
\par data source?  I have "generic odbc driver" selected.
\par 
\par When I start Reverse Engineer wizard, first dialog I choose Excel.
\par The next screen it allows me to choose the workbook.  Then I get the
\par error message.
\par 
\par *****This seems like it should work and would save typing a lot of
\par fields and table names. It doesn't seem like it should be a version
\par problem.  WHY WHEN I OPEN THE DIALOG TO SELECT THE datasource in Visio
\par 2007 does it give me the option of Excel 97-2000?  Can't you connect
\par to Excel 2003 as a datasource.********
\par 
\par 
\par tia
\par \pard 
\par 
\par }

On May 29, 5:52 pm, barb...@online.microsoft.com (Barb Way) wrote:
> The Reverse Engineer wizard is displaying the various data source types
> that are registered with the ODBC Administrator for the system.  However,
> we do not have a Visio Database Driver for Excel.  You can select from the
> available options in a DB Model by selecting Database > Options > Drivers.
>
> The list does not include direct support for your MySQL setup.  However,
> the ODBC Generic Driver will work for most SQL based database servers -
> give that a try, and connect directly from Visio to your MySQL database
> server.
>
> Barb Way
> Product Support - Visio
> Microsoft Corporation
> [This posting is provided "As Is" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights.]
> --------------------
> From: JRough 
> Subject: [Create ERD in Visio]Reverse engineer  wizard can't create a
>         datasource from Excel
> Date: Thu, 29 May 2008 13:04:54 -0700 (PDT)
>
> I'm trying to create an ERD in Visio from exported tables from MySQL.
> I exported each table to Excel.  I am on Windows XP 2002
> Professional.  I have Visio Professional 2007.  I have Excel 2007.  In
> the reverse engineer dialog box it looks like it accepts Excel
> 97-2000?  In any case MySQL exported them as Excel2003 so if I don't
> open them it should work.
>
> When I get to the Select Workbook Database Name dialog and select the
> sheet  it gives me the error "external table is not in the expected
> format".  This occurs even though I have the sheet saved both as
> Excel2003or Excel 2007.  How can I get Visio to connect to the Excel
> data source?  I have "generic odbc driver" selected.
>
> When I start Reverse Engineer wizard, first dialog I choose Excel.
> The next screen it allows me to choose the workbook.  Then I get the
> error message.
>
> *****This seems like it should work and would save typing a lot of
> fields and table names. It doesn't seem like it should be a version
> problem.  WHY WHEN I OPEN THE DIALOG TO SELECT THE datasource in Visio
> 2007 does it give me the option of Excel 97-2000?  Can't you connect
> to Excel 2003 as a datasource.********
>
> tia

Thanks for your reply.  I will give the generic odbc driver a try with
MySQL however I didn't try it because it is on a hosted server.
That is why I didn't even try it but I guess it is worth a try.  I
will repost if it doesn't work.  My question was really why can't I
get it a datasource
connection with Excel in case the above doesn't work?

On May 29, 5:52 pm, barb...@online.microsoft.com (Barb Way) wrote:
> The Reverse Engineer wizard is displaying the various data source types
> that are registered with the ODBC Administrator for the system.  However,
> we do not have a Visio Database Driver for Excel.  You can select from the
> available options in a DB Model by selecting Database > Options > Drivers.
>
> The list does not include direct support for your MySQL setup.  However,
> the ODBC Generic Driver will work for most SQL based database servers -
> give that a try, and connect directly from Visio to your MySQL database
> server.
>
> Barb Way
> Product Support - Visio
> Microsoft Corporation
> [This posting is provided "As Is" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights.]
> --------------------
> From: JRough 
> Subject: [Create ERD in Visio]Reverse engineer  wizard can't create a
>         datasource from Excel
> Date: Thu, 29 May 2008 13:04:54 -0700 (PDT)
>
> I'm trying to create an ERD in Visio from exported tables from MySQL.
> I exported each table to Excel.  I am on Windows XP 2002
> Professional.  I have Visio Professional 2007.  I have Excel 2007.  In
> the reverse engineer dialog box it looks like it accepts Excel
> 97-2000?  In any case MySQL exported them as Excel2003 so if I don't
> open them it should work.
>
> When I get to the Select Workbook Database Name dialog and select the
> sheet  it gives me the error "external table is not in the expected
> format".  This occurs even though I have the sheet saved both as
> Excel2003or Excel 2007.  How can I get Visio to connect to the Excel
> data source?  I have "generic odbc driver" selected.
>
> When I start Reverse Engineer wizard, first dialog I choose Excel.
> The next screen it allows me to choose the workbook.  Then I get the
> error message.
>
> *****This seems like it should work and would save typing a lot of
> fields and table names. It doesn't seem like it should be a version
> problem.  WHY WHEN I OPEN THE DIALOG TO SELECT THE datasource in Visio
> 2007 does it give me the option of Excel 97-2000?  Can't you connect
> to Excel 2003 as a datasource.********
>
> tia

Are you saying VIsio doesn't work with Excel as a datasource?

On May 29, 5:52 pm, barb...@online.microsoft.com (Barb Way) wrote:
> The Reverse Engineer wizard is displaying the various data source types
> that are registered with the ODBC Administrator for the system.  However,
> we do not have a Visio Database Driver for Excel.  You can select from the
> available options in a DB Model by selecting Database > Options > Drivers.
>
> The list does not include direct support for your MySQL setup.  However,
> the ODBC Generic Driver will work for most SQL based database servers -
> give that a try, and connect directly from Visio to your MySQL database
> server.
>
> Barb Way
> Product Support - Visio
> Microsoft Corporation
> [This posting is provided "As Is" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights.]
> --------------------
> From: JRough 
> Subject: [Create ERD in Visio]Reverse engineer  wizard can't create a
>         datasource from Excel
> Date: Thu, 29 May 2008 13:04:54 -0700 (PDT)
>
> I'm trying to create an ERD in Visio from exported tables from MySQL.
> I exported each table to Excel.  I am on Windows XP 2002
> Professional.  I have Visio Professional 2007.  I have Excel 2007.  In
> the reverse engineer dialog box it looks like it accepts Excel
> 97-2000?  In any case MySQL exported them as Excel2003 so if I don't
> open them it should work.
>
> When I get to the Select Workbook Database Name dialog and select the
> sheet  it gives me the error "external table is not in the expected
> format".  This occurs even though I have the sheet saved both as
> Excel2003or Excel 2007.  How can I get Visio to connect to the Excel
> data source?  I have "generic odbc driver" selected.
>
> When I start Reverse Engineer wizard, first dialog I choose Excel.
> The next screen it allows me to choose the workbook.  Then I get the
> error message.

I thought I read something in the help that says you can connect with
Excel which is where I got confused.
I guess if Visio doesn't connect with Excel for data modeling purposes
that makes sense since it would be a flat
file db not a relational database.  Maybe it was refering to Excel
with Visio for some other purpose?  In any case
what I did was export all the tables one at a time and I guess what
you are saying is that will not work??

On May 29, 5:52 pm, barb...@online.microsoft.com (Barb Way) wrote:
> The Reverse Engineer wizard is displaying the various data source types
> that are registered with the ODBC Administrator for the system.  However,
> we do not have a Visio Database Driver for Excel.  You can select from the
> available options in a DB Model by selecting Database > Options > Drivers.
>
> The list does not include direct support for your MySQL setup.  However,
> the ODBC Generic Driver will work for most SQL based database servers -
> give that a try, and connect directly from Visio to your MySQL database
> server.
>
> Barb Way
> Product Support - Visio
> Microsoft Corporation
> [This posting is provided "As Is" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights.]
> --------------------
> From: JRough 
> Subject: [Create ERD in Visio]Reverse engineer  wizard can't create a
>         datasource from Excel
> Date: Thu, 29 May 2008 13:04:54 -0700 (PDT)
>
> I'm trying to create an ERD in Visio from exported tables from MySQL.
> I exported each table to Excel.  I am on Windows XP 2002
> Professional.  I have Visio Professional 2007.  I have Excel 2007.  In
> the reverse engineer dialog box it looks like it accepts Excel
> 97-2000?  In any case MySQL exported them as Excel2003 so if I don't
> open them it should work.
>
> When I get to the Select Workbook Database Name dialog and select the
> sheet  it gives me the error "external table is not in the expected
> format".  This occurs even though I have the sheet saved both as
> Excel2003or Excel 2007.  How can I get Visio to connect to the Excel
> data source?  I have "generic odbc driver" selected.
>
> When I start Reverse Engineer wizard, first dialog I choose Excel.
> The next screen it allows me to choose the workbook.  Then I get the
> error message.
>
> *****This seems like it should work and would save typing a lot of
> fields and table names. It doesn't seem like it should be a version
> problem.  WHY WHEN I OPEN THE DIALOG TO SELECT THE datasource in Visio
> 2007 does it give me the option of Excel 97-2000?  Can't you connect
> to Excel 2003 as a datasource.********
>
> tia

What was confusing me was in the window of create datasource  there is
an Excel driver.
So that is not for a data modeling datasource?  Why do you say there
is no Excel driver?

On May 29, 5:52 pm, barb...@online.microsoft.com (Barb Way) wrote:
> The Reverse Engineer wizard is displaying the various data source types
> that are registered with the ODBC Administrator for the system.  However,
> we do not have a Visio Database Driver for Excel.  You can select from the
> available options in a DB Model by selecting Database > Options > Drivers.
>
> The list does not include direct support for your MySQL setup.  However,
> the ODBC Generic Driver will work for most SQL based database servers -
> give that a try, and connect directly from Visio to your MySQL database
> server.
>
> Barb Way
> Product Support - Visio
> Microsoft Corporation
> [This posting is provided "As Is" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights.]
> --------------------
> From: JRough 
> Subject: [Create ERD in Visio]Reverse engineer  wizard can't create a
>         datasource from Excel
> Date: Thu, 29 May 2008 13:04:54 -0700 (PDT)
>
> I'm trying to create an ERD in Visio from exported tables from MySQL.
> I exported each table to Excel.  I am on Windows XP 2002
> Professional.  I have Visio Professional 2007.  I have Excel 2007.  In
> the reverse engineer dialog box it looks like it accepts Excel
> 97-2000?  In any case MySQL exported them as Excel2003 so if I don't
> open them it should work.
>
> When I get to the Select Workbook Database Name dialog and select the
> sheet  it gives me the error "external table is not in the expected
> format".  This occurs even though I have the sheet saved both as
> Excel2003or Excel 2007.  How can I get Visio to connect to the Excel
> data source?  I have "generic odbc driver" selected.
>
> When I start Reverse Engineer wizard, first dialog I choose Excel.
> The next screen it allows me to choose the workbook.  Then I get the
> error message.
>
> *****This seems like it should work and would save typing a lot of
> fields and table names. It doesn't seem like it should be a version
> problem.  WHY WHEN I OPEN THE DIALOG TO SELECT THE datasource in Visio
> 2007 does it give me the option of Excel 97-2000?  Can't you connect
> to Excel 2003 as a datasource.********
>
> tia

It is a little confusing.  First it asks you to set up an installed
Visio Driver which I selected generic.
Then it asks you to set up a driver for the data source.  If this
MySQL db is on a hosted machine
then I would select machine independent?  I think I just thought of
something.  I can recreate the databases on SQL Server for the purpose
of
the ERD.

{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\fnil\fprq2\fcharset0 MS Sans Serif;}}
\viewkind4\uc1\pard\f0\fs26 For connection purposes, we work through ODBC, which supports Excel data sources (as well as many others).  So you first define an ODBC connection (either outside of Visio or when first using the wizard), then you connect to that ODBC Data Source Name (DSN) using the appropriate Visio database modeling Driver, which is limited to certain source types.  
\par 
\par Excel is not a relational database, so it is not a valid source type, and we do not have a database modeling Driver for it.  You should be able to connect to an ODBC source using the ODBC Generic driver in Visio database modeling.  Alternatively, as you say, you can port the database to SQL Server and connect to that.  Visio supports database modeling from SQL 7/2000/2005 with Visio 2007.
\par 
\par Barb Way
\par Product Support - Visio
\par Microsoft Corporation
\par [This posting is provided "As Is" with no warranties, and confers no rights.]
\par \pard\li720 --------------------
\par From: JRough 
\par Newsgroups: microsoft.public.visio
\par Subject: Re: Reverse engineer wizard can't create a  datasource from Excel
\par Date: Fri, 30 May 2008 09:32:45 -0700 (PDT)
\par Organization: http://groups.google.com
\par Lines: 51
\par Message-ID: 
\par References:  
\par \tab <8E$r29ewIHA.3644@TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl>
\par NNTP-Posting-Host: 67.100.94.131
\par Mime-Version: 1.0
\par Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
\par Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
\par X-Trace: posting.google.com 1212165166 17502 127.0.0.1 (30 May 2008 16:32:46 GMT)
\par X-Complaints-To: groups-abuse@google.com
\par NNTP-Posting-Date: Fri, 30 May 2008 16:32:46 +0000 (UTC)
\par Complaints-To: groups-abuse@google.com
\par Injection-Info: u12g2000prd.googlegroups.com; posting-host=67.100.94.131; 
\par \tab posting-account=ncteIwoAAABHIM8FpuT6bIJhn1uQznef
\par User-Agent: G2/1.0
\par X-HTTP-UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.14) 
\par \tab Gecko/20080404 Firefox/2.0.0.14,gzip(gfe),gzip(gfe)
\par Path: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTNGP01.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTFEEDS01.phx.gbl!tornado.fastwebnet.it!tiscali!newsfeed1.ip.tiscali.net!feeder1-2.proxad.net!proxad.net!feeder1-1.proxad.net!198.186.194.250.MISMATCH!news-out.readnews.com!news-xxxfer.readnews.com!postnews.google.com!u12g2000prd.googlegroups.com!not-for-mail
\par Xref: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl microsoft.public.visio:2093
\par X-Tomcat-NG: microsoft.public.visio
\par 
\par On May 29, 5:52 pm, barb...@online.microsoft.com (Barb Way) wrote:
\par > The Reverse Engineer wizard is displaying the various data source types
\par > that are registered with the ODBC Administrator for the system.  However,
\par > we do not have a Visio Database Driver for Excel.  You can select from the
\par > available options in a DB Model by selecting Database > Options > Drivers.
\par >
\par > The list does not include direct support for your MySQL setup.  However,
\par > the ODBC Generic Driver will work for most SQL based database servers -
\par > give that a try, and connect directly from Visio to your MySQL database
\par > server.
\par >
\par > Barb Way
\par > Product Support - Visio
\par > Microsoft Corporation
\par > [This posting is provided "As Is" with no warranties, and confers no
\par > rights.]
\par > --------------------
\par > From: JRough 
\par > Subject: [Create ERD in Visio]Reverse engineer  wizard can't create a
\par >         datasource from Excel
\par > Date: Thu, 29 May 2008 13:04:54 -0700 (PDT)
\par >
\par > I'm trying to create an ERD in Visio from exported tables from MySQL.
\par > I exported each table to Excel.  I am on Windows XP 2002
\par > Professional.  I have Visio Professional 2007.  I have Excel 2007.  In
\par > the reverse engineer dialog box it looks like it accepts Excel
\par > 97-2000?  In any case MySQL exported them as Excel2003 so if I don't
\par > open them it should work.
\par >
\par > When I get to the Select Workbook Database Name dialog and select the
\par > sheet  it gives me the error "external table is not in the expected
\par > format".  This occurs even though I have the sheet saved both as
\par > Excel2003or Excel 2007.  How can I get Visio to connect to the Excel
\par > data source?  I have "generic odbc driver" selected.
\par >
\par > When I start Reverse Engineer wizard, first dialog I choose Excel.
\par > The next screen it allows me to choose the workbook.  Then I get the
\par > error message.
\par >
\par > *****This seems like it should work and would save typing a lot of
\par > fields and table names. It doesn't seem like it should be a version
\par > problem.  WHY WHEN I OPEN THE DIALOG TO SELECT THE datasource in Visio
\par > 2007 does it give me the option of Excel 97-2000?  Can't you connect
\par > to Excel 2003 as a datasource.********
\par >
\par > tia
\par 
\par What was confusing me was in the window of create datasource  there is
\par an Excel driver.
\par So that is not for a data modeling datasource?  Why do you say there
\par is no Excel driver?
\par \pard 
\par 
\par }