Changing Import Specifications

[Steve Brokaw]

Does anyone know if there is any tool or method to work
with the import specs other than going through an actual
import of the file? I'd like to be able to at least
rename in import spec, and it would be better if I could
edit the specs. It just takes a lot of time and clicks to
walk through an import, and I need to do this for many
files. Even if I have to write VB code to work with the
specs, it would be helpful. Thanks.

 

[John Nurick]

Hi Steve,

I don't know of any such tool. The specs are stored in the hidden system
tables MSysIMEXSpecs and MSysIMEXColumns so in principle it should be
possible to manipulate them if you can work out the rules.

Otherwise, considering using a schema.ini file instead. These need to go
in the same folder as the file(s) being exported but can contain the
specs for multiple files. Since they're in ordinary .ini file format
they're easy to create and manipulate in code. They're documented very
sketchily in Help and more fully at
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/odbc/htm/odbcjetsdk_98.asp

Search MSDN for "schema.ini" for even more information.

Does anyone know if there is any tool or method to work
with the import specs other than going through an actual
import of the file? I'd like to be able to at least
rename in import spec, and it would be better if I could
edit the specs. It just takes a lot of time and clicks to
walk through an import, and I need to do this for many
files. Even if I have to write VB code to work with the
specs, it would be helpful. Thanks.

John Nurick [Microsoft Access MVP]

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