importing/exporting [Archive] - ForumsHQ

[WiKKiD]

how come you can export to a text file but not import from one?

[Platinum]

importing to a text file is more for searching through text blocks, keeping track of edits, things like that..it's not for importing..the access file ones (i think thats what they're called) are for importing.

[Speed]

Open your text file in access, import from access.

[syntax53]

Originally posted by WiKKiD

how come you can export to a text file but not import from one?



1. fields -- it would have been too hard to differentiate between fields. if you did comma delimeted and there is a comma in one of your descriptions, it would think a new field came after the comma when really it was just more descriptions. any character used for delimiting could occur in a description or textblock.



2. speed -- importing from a textfile would be mad slow



3. record seeking -- can't exactly seek for a record in a textfile when it isn't indexed (without scanning every line)



4. portability -- having an access database allows you to convert the data to almost any format (http://mudview.mudinfo.net is living proof)



-syn

[WiKKiD]

well, i wish i thought of that b4....now i'm going thru the text files and redo'ing all the info :(

[WiKKiD]

it doesn't work, i just tried it..unless i skrewed it up sumwhere along the line :P

[syntax53]

Originally posted by WiKKiD

it doesn't work, i just tried it..unless i skrewed it up sumwhere along the line :P



what doesn't work?

[WiKKiD]

importing a text file to access...

[syntax53]

Originally posted by WiKKiD

importing a text file to access...



i honestly dont see how that could work 100% anyway.

[Speed]

I have to import text files to access at work. It's not hard. Actually, what you do is import it to excel first, which tabulates everything into columns, then from excel to access.