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I have a database and one column, lets call it "Code", has entries like 111 and 13A. I want to append new data to this table from a CSV file. If I try to import using the "Append a copy of the records to the table", every entry from the new data that goes in column "Code" that contains a letter, like 13A, comes in as a blank. One solution is to use the "Import the source data into a new table in the current database" option because when you do that, you have the option of saying that the data in "Code" is Text. When you do that, it comes in fine and then you can move the new data to the existing table. The option of saying the data in "Code" is text is not available when you do "Append a copy of the records to the table". Is there a way around this, i.e., a way to make this work with the append option?

UPDATE: I don't really like the fact that this got moved to SuperUser seeing as how there seem to be a lot more questions on Access at Stack Overflow than here... especially since people had already started answering my question over there. It's so stupid. Not to mention, I have to create yet another account and I'm not going to check 18 different places.

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How are you importing the data? Mixed data columns can be a problem. – Remou Sep 8 '11 at 9:03
Go to the external data tab and click on the "text file" in the import section. Then, go through the wizard. – Graphth Sep 8 '11 at 13:24
In the wizard, have you made sure that the column Code is text? Access may be interpreting it a numeric if the text rows are below a certain row, 6 I think. – Remou Sep 8 '11 at 13:54
No, this is what I am saying. In the wizard, I do not have that option if I choose "Append...". But, I do have the option if I import it into a new table. So, Access knows the column I am importing into is text but it won't import text correctly. Maybe it's a bug in Access... – Graphth Sep 8 '11 at 16:05
Sorry, I was not paying sufficient attention. I am not able to reproduce this problem in either Access 2010 or 2000 on either of two computers. Do you have another pc you can try on to see if it relates to your pc? – Remou Sep 8 '11 at 17:10
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migrated from stackoverflow.com Sep 8 '11 at 12:50

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1 Answer

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You have to go into the table design view before doing the import and change the column type to text.

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I checked and the column type was already specified as text. – Graphth Sep 8 '11 at 13:23
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