ACC97: Can't Export to Text with File Name Greater Than 60 Char

• Microsoft Access 97

SYMPTOMS

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

When you try to export a Microsoft Access table or query that has a file name longer than 60 characters to Text, the export fails, and you receive the following error message:

   Export Text Wizard

   The database engine can't find

   '<table or query name>'.txt

   Make sure it is a valid parameter or alias name, that it doesn't
   include invalid characters or punctuation, and that the name isn't
   too long.

   Export Text Wizard

   An error occurred trying to export data from table

   '<table or query name>.'

   The data was not exported.

CAUSE

Microsoft Access has a limitation of 64 characters (including the dot (.) and the extension) for file names.

RESOLUTION

If you want to use a file name that is longer than the limit, first export the file as Text with a shorter name, and then rename it to the longer name.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

1. Open the sample database Northwind.mdb.

2. Select the Customers table in the Database window.

3. On the Edit menu, click Copy. On the Edit menu, click Paste. In the Paste Table As box, type a table name that contains more than 60 characters, and then click OK.

4. Select the copy of the table in the Database window. On the File menu, click Save As/Export.

5. In the Save As box, click "To an External File or Database," and then click OK.

6. In the "Save Table '<Tablename>' In" dialog box, select Text files in the Save As Type box, and then click Export.

7. When the Export Text Wizard opens, click Finish. Note that you receive the error message mentioned in the "Symptoms" section.

REFERENCES