ACC2000: Exporting to Fixed-Width Text File Left-Aligns Numbers

ID: Q201115

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

Moderate: Requires basic macro, coding, and interoperability skills.

When you export a table that contains a Number or a Currency field to a fixed-width text file, the numbers in the table become left-aligned.


CAUSE

Because the numbers are being exported to a fixed-width text file, Microsoft Access pads zeros to the right of the number until it meets the proper field width.


RESOLUTION

To make the numbers align with the decimal and pad zeros to the left instead of to the right, you must first determine the maximum length of the Number or Currency field. Use this number of zeros in the Format() function below. Next, you must determine the number of decimal places that the field in question uses. Use this value to determine how many zeros to place after the decimal point in the Format() function below. Finally, create a query based on the following Microsoft Access SQL statement:

SELECT DISTINCTROW
Format([MyNumber],"0000.00") AS [Expr1]
INTO [MyNewTable]
FROM [MyOldTable];
For this example, the SQL statement assumes that you have the following table: 

   Table: MyOldTable
   -----------------
   Field Name: MyNumber
   Data Type: Currency
It also assumes that the longest value in the MyNumber field is 7 characters (including the decimal point and decimal places) and that each value has two decimal places. This Microsoft Access SQL statement, when typed in the SQL window in the query-by-example (QBE) grid, makes a new table called MyNewTable with the MyNumber field padded to the left with zeros.

When you use this Microsoft Access SQL statement in a query, the data from MyOldTable is formatted with decimal justification and placed in a new table called MyNewTable.


MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

  1. Create the following table: 


    2. 
      Table: MyOldTable
      -----------------
      Field Name: MyNumber
      Data Type: Currency
  2. Enter the following numbers in the table:


    3. 34.5
    123.56
    4578.90
  3. On the File menu, click Export and select the Text Files option. When the Export Text Wizard prompts you, click Fixed Width, and then click Finish.


  4. Open the exported text file in any text editor, such as Notepad, and view the numbers. Note that they appear as follows:


    5. $34.5000
    $123.560
    $4578.90


REFERENCES

Additional query words: importing/exporting leading zeros prb 


Keywords          : kb3rdparty kbdta IsmTxtfx 
Version           : WINDOWS:2000
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: May 13, 1999