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"A SYLK file is a text file that begins with "ID" or "ID_xxxx", where xxxx is a text string. The first record of a SYLK file is the ID_Number record. When Excel

by MikusR 10y ago

"A SYLK file is a text file that begins with "ID" or "ID_xxxx", where xxxx is a text string. The first record of a SYLK file is the ID_Number record. When Excel identifies this text at the beginning of a text file, it interprets the file as a SYLK file. Excel tries to convert the file from the SYLK format, but cannot do so because there are no valid SYLK codes after the "ID" characters. Because Excel cannot convert the file, you receive the error message. "

Piskvorrr 10y ago
In other words, Excel has all the information to decide that this is not a SYLK file but a CSV, but just throws an error, because fuck you. Great UX. That's way up there with the "you can't drag stuff here, should've dragged it a few px further" from Win98.
- kedean 10y ago
  Who's to say that it should fall back to CSV instead of giving an error? What if it was actually a malformed SYLK file where further headers were mangled in transmission? I do think it should be giving back a more descriptive error though, possibly one informing the user that it thinks it is a SYLK file and giving them the option to interpret it differently.
  - Piskvorrr 10y ago
    That is Excel team's choice, of course. However, I would have thought that it would be based on the usefulness of the given import type currently, not in 1988 (I trust there have been new import filters since) How many SYLK files did you see recently, e.g. within the last 30 years? For me, the result is 0 (zero). As compared to innumerable swarms of CSVs of all flavors. Yet even MSO2013 prefers Yonder Hiftorical Curioufity; whence Excel's fondness and preference for obscure and rare formats, I have no idea. And yes, giving user at least an intelligible error message would be nice (I hold no illusions that popping up a selection would be a complex feat: import logic is usually a gnarly place).

by MikusR 10y ago

Piskvorrr 10y ago

In other words, Excel has all the information to decide that this is not a SYLK file but a CSV, but just throws an error, because fuck you. Great UX. That's way up there with the "you can't drag stuff here, should've dragged it a few px further" from Win98.

kedean 10y ago
Who's to say that it should fall back to CSV instead of giving an error? What if it was actually a malformed SYLK file where further headers were mangled in transmission? I do think it should be giving back a more descriptive error though, possibly one informing the user that it thinks it is a SYLK file and giving them the option to interpret it differently.
- Piskvorrr 10y ago
  That is Excel team's choice, of course. However, I would have thought that it would be based on the usefulness of the given import type currently, not in 1988 (I trust there have been new import filters since) How many SYLK files did you see recently, e.g. within the last 30 years? For me, the result is 0 (zero). As compared to innumerable swarms of CSVs of all flavors. Yet even MSO2013 prefers Yonder Hiftorical Curioufity; whence Excel's fondness and preference for obscure and rare formats, I have no idea. And yes, giving user at least an intelligible error message would be nice (I hold no illusions that popping up a selection would be a complex feat: import logic is usually a gnarly place).