Avoiding column limit in Access table

[Josh]

I am attempting to import a tab separated text file into
access as a new table. There are the equivalent of
374 "columns" (variables) in this text file, and of
course Access will only store 255 of them. I don't care
about a large number of these variables, but my attempts
to tell Access NOT to import them, do not cause Access to
import remaining variables (beyond number 255) in there
place. Instead, Access stops at what WOULD HAVE BEEN the
255th variable, even if this means it's only importing
14. How does one get around this problem? It would be,
in this case, very time consuming to try to modify the
text file, which is enormous.

 

[Tim Ferguson]

How does one get around this problem?

One: normalise the data design. At least you can host the stuff in a
reliable fashion.

Two: if you really have to work with this flatfile, then the simplest way
is probably to write a short VBA parsing routine to send the data to the
right place.

Three: send whoever created the original file on a database design course.

Hope that helps


Tim F