Replicate Fixed Width Import Functionality

[Gene]

Hi all,

I might be bitting off more then I can chew, but I have a need to replicate the Fixed Width import window functionality. The one where you can select the place in a text string that draws a line down the column in text box indicating the end of one field and the beginning of the next field for the entire text of the imported text file.

I want to use this tool for parsing fixed width text data. Any clues on how to do this. I've tried everything I can think of using normal controls. Just can't seem to get a line drawn in a text box. I hope this is simpler then it seems.



Thanks in advance.

Gene

[dcrake]

Why? Is there some reason why you cannot use the existing one?

[Gene]

I want to embed the functionality into an application I am building. Don't want the user to switch back and forth between two applications.

[dcrake]

The files that are being imported, do you know what the fixed width lengths are going to be prior to the import. The reason for asking, is let's say you have mastered the art of replicating the wizard. How can you be confident that the user will place the markers between the correct fields? If you already know the sizes you can automate it.

David

[Gene]

No I don't know the length. Each data set could be different. I just want to use the tool to help the user quess at what the begining and end of field data is. If they don't do it right, the application I am building will assist them in make the correct determination.

[dcrake]

In theory this sounds fine. However I am a bit sceptical as to how you are going to determine if the place marker is in the wrong place. Even Access has not mastered that trick.

Back in the days of Access 97 I remember certain wizards were installed on the machine with a different extension MDA I think and if you renamed this to an mdb you could actually open it as an Access mdb. This is because the wazards were writen in Access. If you can you could go down this route to see how they did it then. I am not promising anything it's just a thought that occured to me. I know I did this when creating a custom label report creator.

David