SSIS 2012: SSIS Error Code "Excel Connection Manager" failed with error code 0xC0202009.

Question

Hi,
This is kind of weird issue that I am experiencing with excel connection manager in SSIS 2012. This issue occurs sometimes but when I close and re-open SSDT (SQL Server Data Tools - newer BIDS) then this issues goes off temporarily.
Just FYI, through SSDT environment I executed the package successfully with both settings Run64bit runtime setting to Yes and No when error does not occur.
So far I have installed
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=13255 (Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010 Redistributable).
I still remember for older versions of SQL Server (2005 & 2008) that I have executed Excel connection SSIS packages with Run64bit runtime = false i.e. in 32-bit mode. As far as I know I think Excel 64-bit issue has been resolved with SQL Server
2012 release.
Here is the detail of error message:
TITLE: Package Validation Error
Package Validation Error
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Error at Data Flow Task [Excel Source [2]]: SSIS Error Code DTS_E_CANNOTACQUIRECONNECTIONFROMCONNECTIONMANAGER.  The AcquireConnection method call to the connection manager "Excel Connection
Manager" failed with error code 0xC0202009.  There may be error messages posted before this with more information on why the AcquireConnection method call failed.
Error at Data Flow Task [SSIS.Pipeline]: Excel Source failed validation and returned error code 0xC020801C.
Error at Data Flow Task [SSIS.Pipeline]: One or more component failed validation.
Error at Data Flow Task: There were errors during task validation.
Error at Package [Connection manager "Excel Connection Manager"]: SSIS Error Code DTS_E_OLEDBERROR.  An OLE DB error has occurred. Error code: 0x80004005.
An OLE DB record is available.  Source: "Microsoft Access Database Engine"  Hresult: 0x80004005  Description: "Unspecified error".
 (Microsoft.DataTransformationServices.VsIntegration)
Here are my environment details:
SQL Server 2012 {Microsoft SQL Server 2012 (SP1) - 11.0.3368.0 (X64) } , Excel 2010 (32-bit). I am developing SSIS code on Virtual desktops with Windows 7 32-bit OS.
Also it occurred to me that since Virtual Desktops are on Shared Infrastructure, the source files and SSIS packages (code) can be on Shared drives for e.g. \\<Corpnet>\userdata\<Corp_Users_Grp>\<Username>\Visual Studio 2010\Projects\Integration
Services Project2\Integration Services Project2\Package.dtsx.
Does this kind of Shared drives have any impact to give this issue?
Thanks in advance!
Ketan
P.S.: I had look at this forum question -->
http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/sqlserver/en-US/903bbe1d-e070-4c43-9d3b-0a5193550029/64bit-error-in-excel-connection-manager-in-ssis

Answer 1

Hi Arthur,
Thanks for your response.
Yes, it looks like SSIS still has bunch of issues with Excel files like as follows:
1) Some times excel source files cannot be parsed by excel source connection manager.
2) For derive column conversion, we can't replace the existing column. rather, we have to add the derived column as " add as new column" which is tough to manage  while destination mapping.
3) If an column in excel contains a data which is not of the data type assigned for the column in excel, the excel source reads that data as "null". For the same, we can't validate the data and redirect the erroneous data in reject file.  <-- For
this we tried IMEX setting also
4) In multi-tab/sheet excel file, excel source is unable to detect a tab and identify the metadata of the excel.
I am also checking Microsoft connect for Excel issues with SSIS 2012(https://connect.microsoft.com/SQLServer/SearchResults.aspx?SearchQuery=excel#&&PageIndex=22
As worst case scenario, I am thinking of converting Excel to CSV file or Flat text file. (http://www.mssqltips.com/sqlservertip/2772/importing-data-from-excel-using-ssis--part-2/).
Do you think it is advisable to convert Excel into CSV or Flat file.
Thanks,
Ketan