Output To MS-DOS

#1 (**permalink**) 30-Oct-2005, 12:47 PM

I recently upgraded my budget database from Access 2000 to Access 2003. Last
year we used an OutputTo command button to export a report and the available
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/information-technology/6182-output-to-ms-dos.html
formats would appear. MS-DOS was the format we used - being we imported the
result text file into our mainframe. Now that we have upgraded, MS-DOS is no
longer an option. When I select Text Files instead, it is truncating my
figures. I have changed the number formats to Fixed, O - and I double checked
the report layout and the fields are not overlapping and the fields all
appear to be wide enough to fit the figures when reviewing the report. Also,
the fields in the report are all on one row and are aligned. Is there a way
to possibly hard code an export using the MS-DOS format with v. 2003? The
code is using the OutputTo function - Is there a way to Transfer Text as
MS-DOS? It seems that MS-DOS format is the only format that does not truncate
my data. We have another workstation with Access 2000 and the exported file
is working. Any other suggestions? Thanks for any help or suggestions to get
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=6182
me searching in the right direction.

#2 (**permalink**) 30-Oct-2005, 12:47 PM

"Kimberly Franklin" wrote in
message news:C9BC5587-0B8F-41A0-8BBF-ED003D944582@microsoft.com...
>I recently upgraded my budget database from Access 2000 to Access 2003.
>Last
> year we used an OutputTo command button to export a report and the
> available
> formats would appear. MS-DOS was the format we used - being we imported
> the
> result text file into our mainframe. Now that we have upgraded, MS-DOS is
> no
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=6182
> longer an option.

I don't remember a "dos" otpion. In my copy of a2000, I just see "text
files".

So, I not sure what has changed here. Perhaps you prnited the reprot to a
"text printer??

Regarless of the above, I don't see how you succclaryin in the past actauly
exported a "reprot" to a text file that keeps its format correct.
(I not sure what you changed, but a2003 seems to give me the same options as
a2000 - but, it don't matter!!).

You would be MUCH better off exporting a query. With a rerpot, you got all
kinds of "extra" stuff that gets inserted, and minor change in layout can
mess up the "export layout:

Furhter, reprot layouts are based on your installe printers. So, if you
install, or delete, or remove a printer, then often ms-access will try and
"compesnce" for a differnt printer. It is possbiel that the ONLY thing you
change on this pc is the version of office, but if you instllth other
programs, or printers, then some caution is needed here. Furhter, how did
you get rid of page breqaks etc. in this out put reprot?

Lets dump the report idea anyway (I am VERY surprised you got this to work
in the past).

The best, or preferred solution here is to use build a query with the
columns you want. (and, set the sort in the query also). Further, for dates,
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=6182
and currency, and number fields, you can rely on the table settings, or even
better use some format commands to "force" the query layout.

The result is a PURE clean text file with no "report layout junk" that you
seem to been VERY lucky to somehow avoided in the past...

So, build the query. and then highlight the query, and go file->export. You
can export a fixed width, or a delimited file (it is not clear which you
need).

If you have to, try the advanced button to save/set a export spec. Once you
get this working manually, then you can do this with the "transferText"
command.

And, if the built in export can't give you the file you need, the you can
write some code to produce the text file. At the end of the day, I just
can't see how you can (or could have) got this to work by using a report..

So, you got a number of additional built in options, and if they can't do
the job..they we can write some code. Feel free to ask some more questions,
but give the query idea a try....

--
Albert D. Kallal (Access MVP)
Edmonton, Alberta Canada
pleaseNOOSpamKallal@msn.com
http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal