ACC2000: Changes to Import/Export Specification Are Not Saved (271798)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Access 2000
This article was previously published under Q271798
Moderate: Requires basic macro, coding, and interoperability skills.

SYMPTOMS

When you import or you export a text file, and you use a previously created import or export specification, if you make changes to the specification (by adding or by removing fields, for example) your changes are silently discarded and the original specification remains intact.

RESOLUTION

When you make a change to the specification, click OK instead of Save As, in the Import Specification or the Export Specification dialog box. Continue through the wizard, and when you click Finish, Access prompts you to save changes to the specification. Click Yes and the changes persist.

NOTE: If you are working with a fixed width text file, you must make changes to the number of fields and the field size from the Import Text Wizard or the Export Text Wizard instead of the Import Specification or the Export Specification dialog box. You can save the changes to the specification when you click Finish at the end of the wizard.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

This problem was corrected in Microsoft Access 2002.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce the Behavior

  1. Open the sample database, Northwind.mdb.
  2. In the Database window, click to select the Suppliers table, and then click Export on the File menu.
  3. In the Export dialog box, click Text Files in the Save as type list. Note where the file is being saved, and then click Export.
  4. In the Export Text Wizard dialog box, click Finish.
  5. On the File menu, point to Get External Data, and then click Import.
  6. In the Import dialog box, click Text Files in the Save as type list. Select the text file that you exported in step 3, and then click Import.
  7. In the Import Text Wizard dialog box, click Advanced.
  8. Delete Field11 from the list of fields, and then click Save As. Click OK to accept the default import specification name. Click OK.
  9. Continue through the wizard until you are finished, and name the table Suppliers2.
  10. On the File menu, point to Get External Data, and then click Import.
  11. In the Import dialog box, click Text Files in the Save as type list. Select the text file that you exported in step 3, and then click Import.
  12. In the Import Text Wizard dialog box, click Advanced.
  13. Click Specs, and then select the import specification that you previously created. Click Open.
  14. Add Field11 back to the list of fields, and then click Save As.
  15. Click Yes when Access prompts you to overwrite the existing specification.
Note that your changes are silently discarded and the original import specification remains intact.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:6/25/2004
Keywords:kbbug kbfix KB271798
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