Too many fields

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

I am trying to create a form from 3 tables. When I try to use fields from all
three tables, I keep getting a message that there are too many fields.
 
Hi, Kat.
I am trying to create a form from 3 tables. When I try to use fields from
all
three tables, I keep getting a message that there are too many fields.
Click to expand...

A query can only hold up to 255 columns. That you have more than that with
only three tables in the query suggests that at least one of your tables is
not normalized, or else you're using too many calculated columns. It's very
rare that a table has more than 30 columns and still be normalized. If you
have too many calculated columns, then break it down into two or more
queries, with the some of the calculated columns in one query, and other
calculated columns in another query. The only solution to too many columns
in a table is to normalize the table.

HTH.
Gunny

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info.
 
In addition to following Gunny's suggestions, consider posting a description
of the form and what you are trying to display in it. It may be that there
are other approaches...

Regards

Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Office/Access MVP
 
How do you normalize a table? I've looked through Microsoft's help and
couldn't find anything. Maybe it would be helpful to explain my database (I'm
new to this forum). My database is designed to collect information from a
survey. I have used Access for a similar reason before, but I didn't have any
issues with that database because the field number stayed under 255.
 
Kat1222 said:
How do you normalize a table? I've looked through Microsoft's help and
couldn't find anything. Maybe it would be helpful to explain my database (I'm
new to this forum). My database is designed to collect information from a
survey. I have used Access for a similar reason before, but I didn't have any
issues with that database because the field number stayed under 255.
Click to expand...

One record per question, rather than one field per question.
 
Thanks, Rick. The problem is that each question has many "subquestions". For
example, the question might be "Have you contacted:" with a list of 30
different organizations, and if they have contacted the organization, there
are two follow up questions. There are some questions that just have one
response, which only requires one field, but I have about 5 questions where
it requires the user to pick "yes; no; N/A; or don't know" for each
organization listed.
 
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