Office 2010 - Access

Lesson 72: Importing data (2)

72/76 Lessons 

From a text document

We also have the option to import a text file in “Access” 2010.
In contrast to an “Excel” file, a text file is not divided into columns and rows.
Just click the “Text file” button in the “Import &Link”, under the “External Data” tab in the “Ribbon”.

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In the first window, select the text file on your computer by clicking the “Browse” button.
Click the OK button.
The “Text Import Wizard” opens.
In the first screen of the wizard, “Access” will try to determine whether the data in the file is separated with a Delimiter, or the data in the file has a fixed width.
When the different data is separated by a comma, semicolon, tab, or any other delimiter, “Access” will recognize this as the first option in the window.
Click the “Next” button.

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In the next window of the wizard, you can still select a delimiter that separates the fields but, “Access” usually has it right.
Click “Next”.

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In the third window of the wizard, you can change the field names and data type.
Also determine whether or not to index fields.
Click “Next”.

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In the next window, you determine whether you want to set a “Primary key” or not and whether you want to do this yourself, or let “Access” add the “Primary key”.
Click “Next”.

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In the next window, give the table a name and click the “Finish” button.
In the window that appears, you can save the import steps if you wish.
Make your choice and click the “Close” button.
Your table is now included in the “Navigation pane” of the “Access” database.

One more important thing:

If the fields are aligned in your text file and “Fixed width …” was selected, then the third window of the wizard will looks like this:

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In this window, you set the boundaries between different fields.
This can done by clicking in the window where you want to insert a separator.
To remove a dividing line, double-click it.
To move a dividing line, click and drag it to the desired position.

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