Database query

[Guest]

When trying to insert a column into an existing Access database in datasheet
view I get a window telling me "too many fields defined". What does this mean
and how can I overcome this?

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

There's a limit of 255 fields in any given table. However, if you've been
adding and removing fields, the field counter won't be correct unless you
compact the database.

Having said that, though, requiring anywhere close to 255 fields in a table
is usually a sign that the database hasn't been properly normalized: it's
rare to require any more than, say, 20.

For more information about database normalization, here are some links:

http://www.webmasterbase.com/article.php/378
http://www.jpmartel.com/bu12_c.htm (aimed at dBase, but still valid)
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=283878
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=209534
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=100139

http://home.earthlink.net/~billkent/Doc/simple5.htm
http://www.sbpa.csusb.edu/flin/info609/dbdesign/Default.htm
http://www.northern.ac.uk/computing_science/db_design/09_normal/03-1nf.htm
http://burks.bton.ac.uk/burks/foldoc/35/28.htm

http://www.formeremortals.com/Downloads/UnderstandingNormalization.pdf

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/dndbdes/html/ch04DDP.asp
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=129519
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=234208
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=164172
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/Access/technote/ac101.asp

 

[Jeff Conrad]

Doug,

FYI, the following links no longer appear to be valid:

http://home.earthlink.net/~billkent/Doc/simple5.htm
http://www.northern.ac.uk/computing_science/db_design/09_normal/03-1nf.htm
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/Access/technote/ac101.asp