Max fields in make table query? Error message "Invalid Argument"

[Guest]

We use a make table query that retrieves all the fields in a table, filters
them using the date, and creates a new table with the dates we want.

We have been using this process for some time.

Now, when we try to run the same make-table query, it yields an "invalid
Argument" error message and halts it.

I tested it running it under different scenarios interchanging fileds to
test if one of them was creating the problem. The result is that when I run
the query with 111 fields it works fine, but when I add one more field it
halts yielding this "Invalid Argument" error.

Is there a limit to the number of fileds a make-table can use? I have read
that it is 255? Besides, it used to run before with 132 fields; thus, I think
the answer to this question is 255. Is this correct?

Do you set the maximum number of columns somewhere in a setup screen?

Do you have any idea why this make table query might halt yielding this
message?

Thanks

 

[Rick B]

Why are you making a new table with filtered results? Just use the query as
your record source for your reports, forms, other queries, etc.

 

[Guest]

I inherited a whole set of procedures. I do not want to change any at this
point until I know how everything interrelates with each other.

Any ideas on the question I posted ?

 

[John Spencer]

Is it the number of fields or a specific field that causes the failure?

Could you be running into the total record length (2,000 characters)?

Have you tried running the query and limiting the records selected to just a
few?

 

[Guest]

The problem was actually resolved by compacting the database. The DB showed
it was more than 2 GB. Thus, the size of the database was yielding this
"invalid argument" error.

MS Access is nt very descriptive when an error occurs. In fact, sometimes it
can be misleading.