# Exporting to dBase from Access



## Barrentine (Jan 12, 2003)

I'm a novice Access/database user with probably a novice problem. I am trying to export from Access to dBASE. I have followed the instructions for exporting data, searched the help function, the archives in this forum, and my books on Access and have not found the answer to my problem. When I try to save the query to a dBase file, I get a message that reads "field will not fit in record" I have the fields set up in the Access table exactly as the dBase user (my boss) described them. I have checked the fields in each record to see if the data is the correct size. The largest field is 34 and that is how my boss has it set up in his dBase tables. I have no idea how to proceed, and hope someone can help me. Thank you,


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## Anne Troy (Feb 14, 1999)

What is the full name and extension of the Access database file, and what version of Access are you using?

How many tables do you have?
Have you tried exporting them to Excel and then into dBase instead? Might be faster than trying to figure out this problem.

There are two references to this error in the internet, but neither provides more than the error itself--there's nothing about how to get around it.


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## Barrentine (Jan 12, 2003)

Unfortunately, I am such a novice at this that I don't know the file name and extension. I'm using Access 2000. There is only one table. I did export to Excel, but when my boss tried to open in dbase the data was corrupted. 
Thank you for your reply.


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## Anne Troy (Feb 14, 1999)

After you open the Access database, hit File-Properties.


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## Barrentine (Jan 12, 2003)

Thanks, the file name is AASWG Membership2.MDB. Also there are 4 tables not one, but they are not linked.


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## AbvAvgUser (Oct 3, 2002)

I think its fairly simple. Try this in Access 2000.

- Select a table.
- Right click on it and click on Export.
- In the dialog box that opens, in Save as Type, select the .dbf format that you want.
- Select the path and file name (DBase III +, DBase IV, etc.)
- Click on Save.

I think that should do it. Anyway, have a look at the screen shots. (Please ignore the rawness in the arrangement of pictures, I am not good at art ).

Hope I have understood your problem correctly.


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## Barrentine (Jan 12, 2003)

thank you for all the trouble you went to to send the photos, however, that is where I would go and then when I hit save I get the message "field will not fit in record". Most confusing to me. Thanks


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## AbvAvgUser (Oct 3, 2002)

Dbase, etc. must be having some restrictions on maximum field width. Of course Access has a larger limit. One of your fields exceeds the maximum permissible characters in .dbf files.

Check the structure of tables and export it to an excel worksheet if necessary. From there I think you can transfer to a .dbf file. But you are likely to get the same error.

I think you will have to either divide the field into two smaller fields or be ready to lose some data


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## THoey (Feb 12, 2001)

I think ABV is on the right track. As a default, Access creates some rather large field sizes. I would go into design mode of your tables, look at the different field sizes, shorten any that you can, and try again...


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## Barrentine (Jan 12, 2003)

Thank to all for the help. The export to Excel and then dbase finally worked. Again, many thanks.


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## AbvAvgUser (Oct 3, 2002)

You are welcome!! Glad it is worked out as you wanted.


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## sfcucci (Mar 1, 2005)

I too am a beginner in access.
My issue is I need to modify the data in my table,
but it is too large to export into Excel.

Any suggestions?


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