pentaho/pentaho-kettle · error · KettleException

Sorry, spreadsheet type is not yet supported

Error message

Sorry, spreadsheet type  is not yet supported

What it means

WorkbookFactory.getWorkbook (file-based) throws when given a SpreadSheetType that has no case in its switch — i.e. a registered type the factory cannot instantiate. This indicates a configuration/metadata value outside the supported JXL/POI/SAX_POI/ODS set handled by this code path.

Solutions

1. Set the step's Spreadsheet type to a supported engine: Excel (POI), Excel SAX (StaxPoi), or ODS
2. Align PDI versions so the metadata's spreadsheet type is known to the runtime
3. Fix a corrupted spreadsheet_type value in the .ktr or repository

// Check the spreadsheet type before building the workbook
if (type != SpreadSheetType.JXL && type != SpreadSheetType.POI
 && type != SpreadSheetType.SAX_POI && type != SpreadSheetType.ODS) {
  throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unsupported spreadsheet type: " + type);
}

try {
  KWorkbook wb = WorkbookFactory.getWorkbook(bowl, type, filename, encoding, password);
} catch (KettleException e) {
  if (e.getMessage().contains("not yet supported")) {
    wb = WorkbookFactory.getWorkbook(bowl, SpreadSheetType.POI, filename, encoding, password);
  } else { throw e; }
}

When it happens

Trigger: A workbook object is requested with a SpreadSheetType whose switch case is missing (default branch), e.g. a type added in a newer version or an internally-reserved enum constant.

Common situations: Metadata written by a newer PDI version read by an older one; custom spreadsheet type plugins registered in metadata but not supported by the factory; corrupt spreadsheet_type value in repository/XML resolving to an unexpected enum.

Related errors

• Calculator.Log.UnknownCalculationType + fn.getCalcType()
• CheckSum.Error.UnknownChecksumType
• Could not delete stale file " + buildFilename
• Error opening new file (logged), KettleException( e )
• Error writing field (posX,posY) (logged), KettleException(…

AI-assisted analysis of pentaho/pentaho-kettle@f3058517a1 (2026-09-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/cca92a5fa58b17c9. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at plugins/excel/core/src/main/java/org/pentaho/di/trans/steps/excelinput/WorkbookFactory.java:46

  public static KWorkbook getWorkbook( Bowl bowl, SpreadSheetType type, String filename, String encoding )
    throws KettleException {
    return getWorkbook( bowl, type, filename, encoding, null );
  }

  public static KWorkbook getWorkbook( Bowl bowl, SpreadSheetType type, String filename, String encoding, String password )
    throws KettleException {
    switch ( type ) {
      case JXL:
        return new XLSWorkbook( bowl, filename, encoding );
      case POI:
        return new PoiWorkbook( bowl, filename, encoding, password ); // encoding is not used, perhaps detected automatically?
      case SAX_POI:
        return new StaxPoiWorkbook( filename, encoding );
      case ODS:
        return new OdfWorkbook( bowl, filename, encoding ); // encoding is not used, perhaps detected automatically?
      default:
        throw new KettleException( "Sorry, spreadsheet type " + type.getDescription() + " is not yet supported" );
    }

  }

  // Not Dead Code:  Used by pdi-google-docs-plugin
  @Deprecated
  public static KWorkbook getWorkbook( SpreadSheetType type, InputStream inputStream, String encoding )
    throws KettleException {
    switch ( type ) {
      case JXL:
        return new XLSWorkbook( inputStream, encoding );
      case POI:
        return new PoiWorkbook( inputStream, encoding ); // encoding is not used, perhaps detected automatically?
      case SAX_POI:
        return new StaxPoiWorkbook( inputStream, encoding );
      case ODS:
        return new OdfWorkbook( inputStream, encoding ); // encoding is not used, perhaps detected automatically?
      default:

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