ACC2000: Copy/Paste from Datasheet Field Pastes Field Name (197109)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Access 2000
This article was previously published under Q197109
Novice: Requires knowledge of the user interface on single-user computers.

SYMPTOMS

When you paste data that you copied from a selected field in a datasheet, you may see the column name returned instead of the copied data.

CAUSE

When you copy one item of data in a record, you actually get a delimited string that includes both the column name and the data from the selected item. Some areas do not support the pasting of delimited text, and will return only the first section of the copied text.

RESOLUTION

You can select just the data from the selection by clicking your pointer at the beginning of the selection, holding down the mouse button, and then dragging your pointer to the end of the selection.

MORE INFORMATION

You may see this behavior in any Microsoft Access object that can be represented as a datasheet, including tables, queries, and forms in Datasheet view. Microsoft Access preserves both data and the column name for the purpose of drag-and-drop compatibility with other software, such as Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word.

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

You can demonstrate the described behavior by selecting and copying a single data item, and then trying to paste the data into the Find dialog box. To do so, follow these steps:
  1. Open the sample database Northwind.mdb, and click Tables under Objects.
  2. Double-click the Categories table to open it.
  3. Click in the first row of the Category Name field.
  4. Move the pointer to the left of the field until the pointer changes to a plus (+) sign.
  5. Click to select Beverages in the Category Name field.
  6. On the Edit menu, click Copy.
  7. On the Edit menu, click Find.
  8. In the Find And Replace dialog box, make sure the pointer is in the Find What box, and then click Paste on the Edit menu to paste the data that you copied.
Note that the column name (in this case "Category Name") is pasted into the Find What box, rather than the data that you copied.

NOTE: You also see this behavior by copying from Microsoft Access to other applications, such as Notepad. When you paste into Notepad you see the column name and the data underneath. This behavior is different than it is in Microsoft Excel.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:6/24/2004
Keywords:kbprb KB197109
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