How do I clean out old records in an access database

[Guest]

I need to delete a large number of records from a database but would like to
retain the old records(deleted files) in a different database.

 

[Joseph Meehan]

I need to delete a large number of records from a database but would
like to retain the old records(deleted files) in a different database.

Use a make table query to make a new table with the old records. Then
delete all the old records in the old table.

Are you sure you want to put all those records in a different table?
How many are you talking about. With Access as few hundred thousand records
is a med to small size table.

You can mark all the old ones as "inactive" with the addition of a
simple binary (Yes No) field and use the first query to filter all those
out.

 

[Rick B]

Just copy your table to the backup database, then run your purges in your
working database.

Or use a make-table query to create a new table with the records to purge,
copy that to your new backup database, then change the query to delete the
records from your working table.

Hope that helps,

Rick B

 

[Guest]

Thanks...I'll try this and pray I do it correctly

 

[M.L. Sco Scofield]

Julie,

Don't pray.

Use Windows Explorer to make a copy (or two) of the mdb disk file *before*
you do anything. That way, if something were to go wrong, you have a copy of
the original database to go back to.

Sco

M.L. "Sco" Scofield, Microsoft Access MVP, MCSD, MCP, MSS, A+
Denver Area Access Users Group Communications Director www.DAAUG.org
MS Colorado Events Administrator www.MSColoradoEvents.com
Useful Metric Conversion #18 of 19: 8 nickels = 2 paradigms (My personal
favorite)
Miscellaneous Access and VB "stuff" at www.ScoBiz.com

 

[John Vinson]

Don't pray.

Use Windows Explorer to make a copy (or two) of the mdb disk file *before*
you do anything.

Well... prayer can be helpful, but the good Lord smiles upon those who
maintain good backups <g>.

I've got a cartoon somewhere of Moses looking down at a pair of
smashed tablets; a Hand is reaching down from a thundercloud holding
another tablet inscribed

XI. Thou Shalt Maintain Current Backups!


John W. Vinson[MVP]

 

[M.L. Sco Scofield]

LOL!

Sco

M.L. "Sco" Scofield, Microsoft Access MVP, MCSD, MCP, MSS, A+
Denver Area Access Users Group Communications Director www.DAAUG.org
MS Colorado Events Administrator www.MSColoradoEvents.com
Useful Metric Conversion #18 of 19: 8 nickels = 2 paradigms (My personal
favorite)
Miscellaneous Access and VB "stuff" at www.ScoBiz.com