Connecting to a Table with more than 255 columns

[jobrien4]

My company's ERP system's database in an Informix database. I am able to connect to their tables through and ODBC connection in MS Access and write queries, reports, etc. It is not possible to change the structure of the tables though.



There is one table that has 310 columns in it that I need to access. I only need about 220 of those columns. If I import the table into MS Access, it only allows me to see the first 255 columns. If I manually write out the SQL to query the remaining 60 columns, it cannot locate those columns. From what I've seen, there is no way to view those other columns in MS Access.

I did get an install of MS SQL Server Management Studio. Is there a way to view the Informix database through an ODBC connection in MS SSMS ? Or is there another way to view that table and see all columns ? I just need to query the table, chop it down to maybe 220 columns, and be able to import the data into Excel as a live connection so I can start manipulating it in Excel.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

[ranman256]

if you have > 255 fields, then the table is designed wrong.
I would restucture into master and child tables using append queries to breakup the table into correct normalized tables.
(on the Access side)

[jobrien4]

As I said in my original post, this table is straight out of our ERP's database and modifying the table structure is not possible...

[aytee111]

Depending on how this data is used, is it possible to export it from Informix? Say into a comma-delimited text file? I'm not familiar with Informix but these systems usually have the ability to create a file to be exported where one can select which columns.

[orange]

Deleted -misread the post.

Cross posted at http://www.access-programmers.co.uk/...d.php?t=290287