Linked table field limit problem

[Eric C.]

Access 2003 SP3 linking to an Oracle table with 360 fields via ODBC. Need
data from field 265, can't reach because table field limit is 255. Is there
a workaround? Access 2007 has same limit so upgrade sounds like it wouldn't
help.

Best,

Eric

 

[Jeff Boyce]

Eric

The Oracle table is apparently not well-normalized (<tongue-in-cheek
understatement>).

If the data you need is in a column you can't see in the original table, how
about have the Oracle DBA create a "view" that contains only those columns
you need to see? Then you would link to the view...

Regards

Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Office/Access MVP

 

[Jeff Boyce]

I dunno, those Oracle folks get mighty testy about folks messin' with their
data designs...<g>

Jeff B.

 

[perry2of5]

I can't get into my table w/ 300+ columns...

and that MS SQL Server table is in a MICRSOFT's CRM system deployed by a Microsoft certified consultant. Hmmm. Maybe 300 isn't enough. Envision this, you have a construction site with many characteristics:

street address1
street address2
City
County
State
Zip
# units
# buildings
Permit Date
Permit agency
etc.

You can chew up 300 columns pretty quickly with the site ID forming a valid primary key with the only other candidate being the address (a 5-part key). That is 3rd normal form, Right? Sure, the address could be split into its own table but the CRM system doesn't make that easy. Then you could put all the permit stuff in another table but it would still be 1-1 and provide nothing but $$$$ for Microsoft consultants.

Anyway, Microsoft needs to quit bagging on DB's with 300 columns and provide a solution.