Importing Text File : Error "Field too Large"

[Susan]

Is there a way to import a text file into a table that has a field of
width 250 characters?

I was trying to import a fixed width text file into a table and in the
import specification, i have defined a field of width 250 characters ..
And when i tried to import the file , i am getting an error saying "The
size of a field is too large".

I know that in Access the maximum size of a field allowed is 255. But
my field is only 250, then how come its "too large " !!!

 

[ChrisM]

Hi Susan,

You don't give enough information to really answer the question properly, so
what follows is really only a list of some of the things that could be
wrong...

Are you sure the text file you are trying to import is only 250 characters
wide? could there be spaces or tabs or other 'invisible' characters on the
end of the data?

What format is the file you are trying to import? Plain text? comma
delimited? Tab delimited?
How many fields in the database?
Are you sure you importing the text into the correct fields of the database?

Give us a bit more information about the table you're trying to import into,
and the exact format of the file you're trying to import, and it may be
possible to give you a more specific answer.

Cheers,

Chris.

 

['69 Camaro]

Hi, Susan.

I know that in Access the maximum size of a field allowed is 255. But
my field is only 250, then how come its "too large " !!!

At least one of the records exceeds 250 characters. Try increasing the size
of the column to 255 characters and try importing again. If not successful,
change the column to a memo data type, which can hold far more data in each
record.

HTH.
Gunny

See http://www.QBuilt.com for all your database needs.
See http://www.Access.QBuilt.com for Microsoft Access tips and tutorials.
http://www.Access.QBuilt.com/html/expert_contributors2.html for contact
info.

 

[Susan]

Hi
It is just the width of one of the fields i defined in the import
specification is 250 characters long. It is not the width of the text
file !!! Actually the text file is a huge one and the import
specification for the file contains about 200 fields and one of the
fields among them is 250 characters wide. And i guess this is the one
that puts me into trouble !
the text file is in fixed width.

 

[ChrisM]

Is that the EXACT error message you are getting?

Are you quite sure it is not complaining that the data is too large for the
field.
In that case, it could be you are trying to import (say) 5 characters into a
4 character field.

I hate importing data, it either works first time, or it's a complete PITA.
Is it possible to experiment, like only import the first 2 rows,
or chop the data up a bit, and try importing only the first (say) 5 fields.
Then if you can get that to work, work your way up to the full file. that
way it's a lot easier to determine where the errors are coming from...(?)