Text import

[gsashwin]

Dear Forum members,



Thanks in advance for this. I have a problem with MS Access. It goes like this

I have a text file in which records are updated say every 3 hours. Fields in this text file are separated by commas. I am importing these fields into MS Access 2007 using the external data text file mode. I am able to import all the fields for the first time but when the text file is getting updated, the Access file also needs to get updated. So can anyone give me an idea about how do i achieve this step.

My other question is i have this text file on my C: and this access file takes in the data from the text file using the external data. Now say if i want to achieve portability in other words if i transfer these files to any other computer is there any way that Access can look for this particular file to import data without connecting to it explicitly everytime.

Maybe my questions contradict each other, if so, please help me on the first one. I believe the second one can be taken care of later too.. Thanks a lot for your patience and time.

[NTC]

the correct answer to your first part depends on what you are asking. you can automate the import task if that is your question. It isn't totally easy with PCs which are not designed to be 24hr servers but people do it using task manager.....or if it is on a server with whatever automation features it offers.....

what you do with that data is unclear; you can over write or you can append and grow the table or you can bring it into a temp table then do a compare and update changes only....just depends on what you need....

as to portability - - again your question is unclear. Access is designed to run on a LAN only. Within that framework any PC can trigger the import presuming your path naming/mapping is all uniformly consistent.

[gsashwin]

So does that mean the task manager will automatically fetch those fields from the text file to the Access database every 3 hours if set up that way?

Can you let me know how do i go about this automation thing?

[NTC]

well set up Access so it does its thing correctly upon open of the application....and then all you do is use task mgr to open the application, and then close it......

you'll have to go to an xp/vista/win7 forum for insight on how to deal with task mgr...