MS-Access / Getting Started

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Exporting to ASCII

ASCII is a standard file format that many programs can work with. Exporting to the ASCII format allows you to make the data in an Access database available to other applications.

Export Tables and Queries to the ASCII File Format

It is easy to export Access tables and queries to the ASCII file format. Here's how it works:

1. Right-click the object you want to export and select Export from the context menu. (Alternatively, you can select Text File from the Export group on the External Data tab of the Ribbon.) The Export menu expands.
2. Select Text File from the fly-out menu. The Export - Text File dialog appears.
3. Select the destination folder and name for the text file.
4. Designate the export options and click OK. If you opt to export the data with formatting and layout, the Encode dialog appears.
5. Select the desired encoding and click OK. The process completes, and the file appears.
6. If you do not opt to export the data with formatting and layout, the Export Text Wizard appears. This step allows you to select the export format that you want to use. You must select between Delimited and Fixed Width. These are two different text file formats that you may output to. The dialog provides samples of the output to help you make your selection.
7. If you select Delimited and then click Advanced, the Text Export Specification dialog box appears. Here you can designate the field delimiter, text qualifier, language, date order, and other specifics about the file you are exporting. You will modify these options to meet the specifications of the consumer of the file you are creating.
8. Select the desired settings, and then click OK.
9. Click Next.
10. Select the delimiter.
11. If you select Include Field Names on First Row, the output file will include all the field names in the first row. Click Next. The final step of the Export Text Wizard appears.
12. Type the appropriate destination in the Export to File text box.
13. Click Finish to complete the process, and then click Close to close the wizard.