File Size

[Charles]

I understand that Access has a file size limitation of 2 Gigs. I have a very
large database on our company server. I thought that I had read some place
that the file size limitation was set by Win XP. If my database is on my
company's server, does the file size limitation apply or will the server
allow my database to exceed 2 Gigs? Also, if I used the SQL Server Lite and
had it setup on my local machine, can I exceed the 2 Gig file limitation?

My Access application is currently split between the Front-End on my local
machine and 3 backends on the Server. When I import a Weekly Text file to
process labor, the Front-End grows as the processing occurs and it this
increases each week. I am also afraid that while processing it will grow to
over 2 Gigs. After processing, I compact the database and the file size is
reduced to 200,000 MB. Is there a way to do an automatic compact so that the
file size will never exceed the 2 Gig limitation?

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

No, the 2 Gb limit is Access's, not the operating system.

I'm not sure what the limitation of SQL Server Lite currently is. I know at
one time it was 2 Gb as well, but newer versions might have changed that.

Consider importing to a temporary database (as opposed to a temporary table
in your existing database). Tony Toews has an example at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/temptables.htm