I'm new to Microsoft Access. In fact, I haven't even made one
database yet. I am trying to see if ms access is the correct
application for my problem. I work for an engineering research group.
We collect large quantities of data from experiment. We currently
use Excel to post process the data. I've notice many problems with
using Excel. Excel is imited in the number of rows and columns it can
handle. It can't generate reports. It is awkward when it comes to
handling large sections of text. This are just a few.

Recently, we decided that it would be better to store and process in a
database system. My boss has ask me to look into Access as a possible
solution. I've looked through a few books, but these do not seem to
quickly address some of the question I have on Access. Frankly, I
don't want to read the whole book to find the answers. So here are a
few questions.

Does Access have record and field limits? Can you program Access to
import data from an ASCII file to a database template? Can you also
program Access to automatically generate reports using pre-defined
content and format? What is a good book to read?

Victor

Victor:
Access does have the same column limit as Excel, 255.
However you can link tables .

But even queries have the same limit.

You can certainly handle much larger chunks of data in code if you
need to.

Import can be done by a wizard, by setting up a "import
specification", or, if you are importing really weird stuff, in code.
Once set up, it can be done with a push of a button on subsequent
occasions.

It can do reports quite well, from trivial to moderately complex with
wizards, to highly complex with code.

Look at any of Rick Dobson's books. These are quite complete but
quite techie.

For a really good intro try:
Microsoft Access 2002 Bible BK+CD
by Cary N. Prague (Author), Michael R. Irwin (Author)

There are versions for earlier versions of Access as well.

Access will do much more than Excel.

Good Luck

Ira Solomon

On 24 Jan 2004 14:42:27 -0800, vgfigue (AT) comcast (DOT) net (Victor) wrote:

Some maximum values, from Access 2000 Help.

Table size: 1 gigabyte

Maximum Access database (.mdb) file size:
2 gigabytes. However, because your database can include linked tables in
other files, its total size is limited only by available storage capacity.

Number of objects in a database: 32,768
Code Modules: (including forms and reports with the HasModule property
set to True) 1,000
Number of characters in an object name 64
Number of concurrent users 255

Bruce Pick

Victor wrote: