DOCUMENT:Q182354 11-JAN-2001 [vbwin] TITLE :PRB: Jet Text IISAM Driver Drops Leading Spaces PRODUCT :Microsoft Visual Basic for Windows PROD/VER:WINDOWS:5.0,97 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS:kbActiveX kbCtrl kbVBp500 kbGrpDSVBDB ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition for Windows, version 5.0 - Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition for Windows, version 5.0 - Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications version 5.0 - Microsoft Access 97 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SYMPTOMS ======== When importing a delimited text file into a Jet database, leading spaces are truncated from field data. CAUSE ===== The TEXT IISAM driver for Jet truncates spaces from fields that are not delimited by the text qualifier character. RESOLUTION ========== Make sure you use quotes or other text qualifier around your fields if you need to preserve leading spaces in your data. STATUS ====== This behavior is by design. MORE INFORMATION ================ WARNING: Your use or modification of the CODE provided in this article is at your own risk. Microsoft provides this CODE "as is" without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. Microsoft does not support modifications of the CODE to suit specific customer requirements. Steps to Reproduce Behavior --------------------------- 1. Using Notepad, create a text file with the following data: ID,Desc Line1, Description 1 Line2," Description 2" 2. Save the file as c:\test.txt. 3. In Visual Basic, create a new project and add a reference for Microsoft DAO 3.5 Object Library. In Access, open the Northwind.MDB database. 4. Create a new form with a CommandButton (Command1) and add the following code: Private Sub Command1_Click () Dim db As Database Set db = CurrentDB ' Access only Set db = DBEngine(0).OpenDatabase("biblio.mdb") ' Visual Basic db.Execute "SELECT * INTO TestImport FROM [test#txt] IN '' " _ "'text;database=c:\;FMT=Delimited;HDR=Yes'" db.Close End Sub 5. Run the project and click the CommandButton to import the data. 6. Examine the contents of the TestImport table and note that the Desc column has the leading spaces truncated for Description 1, which did not use quotes, but they are present for Description 2, which did use quotes. Notes: 1. The symptoms are also present when using Access' File|Get External Data menu command and via the TransferText macro action and the TransferText method of the DoCmd object, all of which use the Text IISAM driver. 2. The symptoms probably also apply to previous versions of Jet but have not been tested with them. REFERENCES ========== Visual Basic and Access help topic: IN CLAUSE (c) Microsoft Corporation 1998, All Rights Reserved. Contributions by Malcolm Stewart, Microsoft Corporation Additional query words: csv ====================================================================== Keywords : kbActiveX kbCtrl kbVBp500 kbGrpDSVBDB Technology : kbVBSearch kbAudDeveloper kbAccessSearch kbZNotKeyword6 kbAccess97 kbZNotKeyword2 kbVB500Search kbVBA500 kbVB500 kbAccess97Search kbVBASearch kbZNotKeyword3 Version : WINDOWS:5.0,97 Issue type : kbprb ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2001.