Article ID: 290068 - Last Review: March 20, 2007 - Revision: 5.1

You receive an error message when importing, exporting or linking text files

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This article was previously published under Q290068

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/256986/EN-US/ ) Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

Advanced: Requires expert coding, interoperability, and multiuser skills.

For a Microsoft Access 2000 version of this article, see 208206 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/208206/ ) .

For a Microsoft Access 97 version of this article, see 163280 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/163280/ ) .

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SYMPTOMS

When you use the Export Text Wizard to import, export, or link a text file, you may receive the following error message:

Invalid setting in Excel Key of the Engines section of the Windows Registry

RESOLUTION

Use Registry Editor to modify a registry key.

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To start Registry Editor, click Start, and then click Run. In the Open box, type Regedit.exe (in Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft Windows 98, or Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition) or Regedt32.exe (in Microsoft Windows NT or Microsoft Windows 2000). Click OK.
In Registry Editor, expand the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Jet\4\Engines\Text
For the Format key, you see the following value:
```
   "DELIMITED()"
					
```
Change the value of the Format key to the following value:
```
   "CSVDelimited"
					
```
Quit Registry Editor.

If you still experience the problem after you modify this key, follow these steps:

Open Registry Editor.
Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Jet\4\Engines\Text
Verify that the value of the DisabledExtensions entry is set to the following:
!txt,tab,csv,asc,tmp,htm,html
Verify the value of the Extensions entry is set to the following:
txt,csv,tab,asc
Close Registry Editor.