Change the order of the Manage Import tasks window

[chiefweigum]

I posted a similar question a few years ago and was unable to get a solution that works so I will try again. I have a large number of Import Tasks that I use but the Import tasks are not in any specific order. I would like to have them appear sorted by task name so they are easy to find and select. I am using Access 2007. I am hoping someone has found a answer since my previous post. I have attached a screen shot of my Manage Tasks window.

Thanks
Dave

[Welshgasman]

@Isladogs will be along shortly.

However you will need to find where they are stored and then sort that hidden table to your liking.

See his code for amending said specifications. That should show you where to look.

https://www.isladogs.co.uk/view-edit...sks/index.html

Be careful with system tables. Get it wrong and the DB could be kaput.
Also the actual tables may be read only to a normal user?

[CJ_London]

Another reason why I prefer to use sql😉

[chiefweigum]

Thanks for the quick response. This looks promising but is beyond my capabilities. I would be afraid to corrupt my system. I was hoping there was a simpler solution or possibly an app that someone has created to edit this file. I find it odd that this window is not automatically sorted by name as I am sure I am not the only one with a large number of import tasks.

Thanks for your time.
Dave

[isladogs]

Your original thread from 2019 is at Sort the import tasks in the manage data task window (accessforums.net)
Interestingly practically nobody seems to have ever asked this question apart from you.

Just to clarify, the 'old' method of saving import / export specifications used 2 hidden MSYsIMEX... system tables which could be queried
However, that approach only works for text files e.g. CSV

The new import export data tasks that you are using can be used with a wider range of file types (e.g. XLSX) and are stored as XML within Access . . . NOT as system tables.

I have code to create a list of those tasks for use in combos or listboxes.
I also have code for editing the XML in those data tasks - see my article linked in post #2 - using my code is easy and won't corrupt your database. You don't need to fully understand the code to use it!

BUT AFAIK it isn't possible to sort the data tasks in the window you showed in post #1
I've put out a call to other MVPs in case anyone else knows a solution.
Otherwise, I agree that it does seem to be an important omission for anyone who uses this approach a lot

[CJ_London]

According to isladogs the usysIMEXSpecs did not appear until 2010. According to your details, you are using 2007, so the link may not be of much use. Check if you have the table. Being a usys table it should be editable, but if order is dictated by the specID or equivalent, this will probably not be editable as I would anticipate it would be an autonumber data type.

[isladogs]

Just to clarify the above.

The data task specifications were a new feature in A2007 (NOT 2010 as my article currently states - I will correct this)

USysIMEXSpecs is a user defined system table created by my app and used to store the XML from saved data tasks.
The app will work in A2007 onwards and you can easily sort the list of tasks alphabetically
I am also aware there are a couple of misleading version references on the reports that I will correct at some point

If you use my code you won't need to use the wizard forms shown in post #1

[isladogs]

For info, I've just updated my article to fix the version errors and updated the example app to v2.3
View & Edit IMEX Data Tasks (isladogs.co.uk)

[Micron]

Wouldn't "rolling your own" be a way around this for any version?

[isladogs]

I have just put in a request to the Access team and via the Feedback portal for the following features to be added to improve the usability of the data task specifications:

1. Add 2 buttons to the import & export screens in the wizard to allow the lists to be sorted alphabetically or by date created
2. Add functionality to allow saved tasks to be edited

If the idea seems useful, please vote for it at: Add sorting & editing to the Import/Export Data Task Specifications Wizard · Community (microsoft.com).
The more votes it gets, the greater the chances of this being implemented in the not too distant future

[chiefweigum]

Thanks for submitting a request to Microsoft. I hope it works.

[isladogs]

I'll let you know if & when I get a response. Thanks for voting for the suggestion
In the meantime, I recommend you use my app to manage your extensive collection of data tasks

[chiefweigum]

I would use your your app to manage the data tasks but I am not clear on how to use it. I am retired and have a limited knowledge of IT these days.

Dave

[isladogs]

Its VERY easy to use

As mentioned in my web article:

To use this in your own applications, you only need to import the form frmManageTasks, the two reports and the module modIMEX.
You will also need to add the Microsoft Office xx.0 reference library to your application.

If you are using A2007, the reference will be Microsoft Office 12.0

Open the form and click the top button View New IMEX Data Tasks. It will collect the data for all your tasks and save them in a table
Choose a task using the combo and select one of the 6 types of action e.g. Run Task / Edit Task

If you have any old style IMEX specifications, use the bottom button to check the details

The two reports provide more details if needed

[chiefweigum]

First, I appreciate all of your help and we are getting close. However, I imported all that you mentioned above and the View New IMEX Data tasks has all of my Imports loaded (75 of them and in alphabetical order). I select the first one and ticked off Run Task and when I execute it, I get the following error: