Export to txt - invisible characters

[dtay1132]

I'm using the Export function in access to generate a semi-colon delimited file. My upload of this file failed for some formatting problem. when I got the diagnostic back, there were 3 characters on the front of the first row of my data that I didn't export and that I couldn't see in the txt viewer (notepad).

Original submission

1;999999999;Bob;12345

Diagnostic Return

o;?1;999999999;Bob;12345

Can anyone tell me how these characters got on the front of my file? The diagnostic was done by the IRS, so I'm also not able to view the condition of the file on my own. Any tips for how to fix and how to view?

 

[MMSMSD]

Some possible explanations:

1. The Import utility that the IRS is using expects a header line and, not finding it, put that in there.
2. Whoever tried the import at the IRS loaded the file in another program first (to check it) and that 'check' program added the extra characters.
3. When you sent the file to the IRS, their email software added the info (perhaps it didn't come to them as an attachment but as text within the body and they had to put the file back together on their end).

Some comments:
* If NotePad did not show it on the original document, it wasn't there. Access may have hidden data but Notepad would not differentiate in that way.
* It's interesting that the added characters ("o;?") are all on the same diagonal line on a standard keyboard, as though someone may have opened the file and then swiped down that line of keys.

Hope this helps.

 

[dtay1132]

Actually it appears to be an issue with saving the txt file as Unicode. Once I saved it as ASCII it worked fine. Thanks for the post.