'Unable to connect' error

[DRSteele]

Can someone please help me with a Power Query problem that has cropped up?

In a query, I am now unable to connect after years of successful use. The error is titled "Unable to connect" and then says "Access to the resource is forbidden".

This query is in a worksheet, and it churns away and loads. But when I try in a new workbook (and even that workbook where it works) to connect here it produces the error.

https://www.hockey-reference.com/leagues/NHL_2025_games.html

 

[Domenic]

I was able to connect to your link successfully, and load a table to a worksheet without any problems using Power Query...

 

[DRSteele]

Thanks for you reply.

It still fails for me. What can be done?

 

[Domenic]

If you try it with a brand new workbook, are you still unable to connect?

You could also check the permissions for your data source...

Ribbon >> Data tab >> Get and Transform Data group >> Get Data  >> Data Source Settings

Then select the data source, and click on Edit Permissions. This is what mine shows..

If yours is the same, you could always try clearing permissions, and then try connecting again.

 

[alansidman]

I get the same error message. Will fiddle around and see if it can be resolved with settings.

 

[smozgur]

If the table structure has been updated, such as changes to classes, IDs, etc. then it could cause weird issues. I am not talking about the case it can't find the previously used classes but somehow gets confused because of the structure changes - especially since the UI directly utilizes the Html.Table function with Web.Contents. I know this doesn't sound like it should twrow a "forbidden" error in the first place, but I wasn’t able to access the page through the interface either - I got the same “forbidden” error. However, the issue resolved as soon as I manually specified the correct Html.Table parameters in the Advanced Editor, and the forbidden error disappeared. Additionally, since the page is served as entirely static HTML, I would recommend using Web.BrowserContents instead of Web.Contents.

Give the following a try:

let
    Source = Web.BrowserContents("https://www.hockey-reference.com/leagues/NHL_2025_games.html", [WaitFor = [Selector = "table#games"]]),
    ExtractTable = Html.Table(Source, {{"Column1", "table[id='games'] > * > tr > :nth-child(1)"}, {"Column2", "table[id='games'] > * > tr > :nth-child(2)"}, {"Column3", "table[id='games'] > * > tr > :nth-child(3)"}, {"Column4", "table[id='games'] > * > tr > :nth-child(4)"}, {"Column5", "table[id='games'] > * > tr > :nth-child(5)"}, {"Column6", "table[id='games'] > * > tr > :nth-child(6)"}, {"Column7", "table[id='games'] > * > tr > :nth-child(7)"}, {"Column8", "table[id='games'] > * > tr > :nth-child(8)"}, {"Column9", "table[id='games'] > * > tr > :nth-child(9)"}, {"Column10", "table[id='games'] > * > tr > :nth-child(10)"}}, [RowSelector="table[id='games'] > * > tr"]),
    PromoteHeaders = Table.PromoteHeaders(ExtractTable, [PromoteAllScalars=true])
in
    PromoteHeaders

If you’re like me and prefer short codes, it can be simplified like below (simply generating the columns list for 9 columns):

let
    Source = Web.BrowserContents("https://www.hockey-reference.com/leagues/NHL_2025_games.html", [WaitFor = [Selector = "table#games"]]),
    Columns = List.Transform(List.Numbers(1, 9), each {"Column" & Number.ToText(_), "tr >:nth-child(" & Number.ToText(_) & ")"}),
    ExtractTable = Html.Table(Source, Columns, [RowSelector="table[id='games'] > * > tr"]),
    PromoteHeaders = Table.PromoteHeaders(ExtractTable, [PromoteAllScalars=true])
in
    PromoteHeaders

 

[DRSteele]

If you try it with a brand new workbook, are you still unable to connect?

You could also check the permissions for your data source...

Ribbon >> Data tab >> Get and Transform Data group >> Get Data  >> Data Source Settings

Then select the data source, and click on Edit Permissions. This is what mine shows..

View attachment 120172

If yours is the same, you could always try clearing permissions, and then try connecting again.

Thanks, Domenic.

I tried clearing the permissions and then starting again. It fails, even in a new workbook.

 

[Domenic]

I'm assuming that you're able to get to that link using your web browser, correct?

 

[DRSteele]

I'm assuming that you're able to get to that link using your web browser, correct?

Yes, I can access that link on MS Edge.