R-project: RODBC-package works in Win, does not in Ubuntu

Hi guys,

when I try to use RODBC to get a channel to an Excel file, I get the following error:

ex = odbcConnect("Crude Rape Oil Data worksheet 050309.xls") Warning messages: 1: In odbcDriverConnect(st, ...) : [RODBC] ERROR: state IM012, code 0, message [unixODBC][Driver Manager]DRIVER keyword syntax error 2: In odbcDriverConnect(st, ...) : ODBC connection failed

Obviously the RODBC-library is loaded, so that is not the problem. Moreover I installed it via synaptic, so there should not be dependency issues either. So, what is the problem and how do I solve it?

I had similar problems with R under Linux before and it always worked under Windows. Is there something in particular that is causing this? Or did I forget one step when I installed R?

After a lot of googling and fiddling with R and my system, I found that a package (and maybe some symlinks) are missing. I posted a bug and reported my solution:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/rodbc/+bug/338824

Moreover it might be necessary to use the symlinks described in the following link. I used them and at least it did not hurt.

http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-questions/2005-November/103939.html

Boy, am I glad that the time I lost on this is work time and not my own. :-)

Seems I was too quick. The RODBC package was installed ok, but the original problem persists. Suggestions anyone?

I think you can only use RODBC to read excel files in windows. (this is be mentioned in the package help if I remember correctly). There is a function read.xls in package gdata, which can be used to read excel files to R.

Is there a method then to read .ods-files directly (other than converting them to xls and taking gdata or converting to csv)?

Anyway: Thanks for your answer. That means that R still works as well under Linux as under Windows. :-)

Google brings up this post in the R mailing list: https://stat.ethz.ch/pipermail/r-help/2009-February/187130.html. Apparently there is a package for what you need http://www.omegahat.org/ROpenOffice/ .