Import data from excel with HSSF in R - r

Question

I'm trying to import data from an excel file into R, with the library xlsx. I get the error:
Error in .jcall("RJavaTools", "Ljava/lang/Object;", "invokeMethod",
cl, : org.apache.poi.EncryptedDocumentException: The supplied
spreadsheet seems to be an Encrypted .xlsx file. It must be decrypted
before use by XSSF, it cannot be used by HSSF
I changed the file from filename.xlsx to filename.xls, but I keep getting the same message
I also tried the advice of this links:
Import password-protected xlsx workbook into R
How to read xlsx file in protect mode to R
but it won't work.
The sheets of my file are protected but not the file itself.

Answer 1

It seems from the package xlsx website that facilities to work with password protected spreadsheets is a feature still being worked on - although a user Heather has made a fix.
See https://code.google.com/p/rexcel/issues/detail?id=49
But it is not clear if this extends to protected sheets as well.
Fercho - Can you try other workarounds?
Save as csv and use read.csv to get data into R?
Save a version of Excel file without protected sheets for your data input?
Try other Excel to R programs like XLConnect? This package seems more up to date.
EDIT: Mango Solutions has a comparison of Excel and R tools. openxlsx can handle password protected sheets but is slower than XLConnect.
CODE for 1 Above
' Microsoft for Excel VBA for saving as csv
' First Select your sheet to turn to CSV file and then run code like this
' Save sheet as csv
ThisWorkbook.SaveAs Filename:=strSaveFilename, _
FileFormat:= xlCSV
Workbook.SaveAs Method
' SYNTAX expression .SaveAs(FileName, FileFormat, Password, WriteResPassword, ReadOnlyRecommended, CreateBackup, AccessMode, ConflictResolution, AddToMru, TextCodepage, TextVisualLayout, Local)

Answer 2

thanks, I finally did it in VBA it takes a little bit of time but it works, here is the code I used for VBA.
Sub LoopThroughFiles()
FolderName = "C:folder with files\"
If Right(FolderName, 1) <> Application.PathSeparator Then FolderName = FolderName & Application.PathSeparator
Fname = Dir(FolderName & "*.xls")
'loop through the files
Do While Len(Fname)
With Workbooks.Open(FolderName & Fname)
Dim ws As Worksheet
For Each ws In ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets
On Error Resume Next
ws.Unprotect Password:="password 1"
ws.Unprotect Password:="password 2"
On Error GoTo 0
Next ws
For Each w In Application.Workbooks
w.Save
Next w
End With
' go to the next file in the folder
Fname = Dir
Loop
Application.Quit
End Sub
I used two password to unlock the sheets, I didn't know which password was so I try both on each file.
thanks again for the help.