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"Record too large" on dBase Import to Access

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TSDenver

Technical User
Dec 27, 2001
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When attempting to link a dBase IV database into Access 2002 I get the message "Record too large" and the database will not imoprt at all. However, I can link this database into Access and work with it. All the fields and field contents appear to be present and I can display the info on forms. Any thoughts on why it won't import? I would like to edit and manipulate the database in Access which I can't if it is just linked.
 
Hi

Is it possible that the record IS too large, there is a limit on recordsize in Access, it is I believe 2000 bytes, excluding memo fields. There is also a limit on the number of fields (511) see help Specifications for more info Regards

Ken Reay
Freelance Solutions Developer
Boldon Information Systems Ltd
Website needs upgrading, but for now - UK
 
No individual row in an Access table should be greater than about 2k so I guess there's must be a large record lurking in your dBase IV source.

If it's critical that this data is imported into Access instead of simply being linked, I'd suggest that you:

1. Identify the table with the problem row(s).

2. Link it as "Table_A"

3. Import it's structure into Access as "Table_B".

Then, assuming the over-large data is in a text-type field...

4. Modify the structure of "Table_B", changing it's longer text fields to "Memo" fields.

5. Running an insert query to append "Table_A" into "Table_B".

If this fails, you'll need to try programatically inserting "Table_A" into "Table_B" on a row-by-row basis. This will allow you to identify the specific problems row(s) and decide what you want to do with it/them.



 
There are less than 200 fields in this table, so that aspect is OK. The 2K limit occurred to me but I looked through several references and couldn't see how this is defined. What's a rule of thumb for knowing when this limit is being approached?
 
Hi

Not sure I understand your question. You simply add up the 'width' of each column in bytes, if it is more that 2000 you have a problem. The 'width' of the column depends on the datatype, so Intergers are 4, longs 8, strings whatever their length is declated as, see datatype in help if you need more Regards

Ken Reay
Freelance Solutions Developer
Boldon Information Systems Ltd
Website needs upgrading, but for now - UK
 
Hi

Not sure I understand your question. You simply add up the 'width' of each column in bytes, if it is more that 2000 you have a problem. The 'width' of the column depends on the datatype, so Intergers are 4, longs 8, strings whatever their length is declared as, see datatype in help if you need more Regards

Ken Reay
Freelance Solutions Developer
Boldon Information Systems Ltd
Website needs upgrading, but for now - UK
 
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