'Property value is too large' error message

Hello,

I have a large table that no longer allows any edits of any kind on it
without giving the error message: 'Property value is too large'. I have
looked this up and it occurs apparently when one has 'exceeded the maximum
number of columns allowed in a table or the maximum number of locks for a
single file.' (quote directly from Access Help). I have 203 fields in this
table.

We could of course divide this table into a couple of smaller tables, but
we'd rather not at this point. I had put in Descriptions for every field in
the table, and now, I am just trying to delete them in the interest of trying
to recapture enough space to allow us to add a few fields, but Access is
balking at everything, even deleting-- with the same error message.

Access is just a front end data-entry application that gets sucked into a
SAS program for statistical analysis, which is the major reason that we don't
want to subdivide into multiple tables. Is there any way around this?

Thanks.

--
Pat Dools

Compact the database & try again. If that doesn't work, create a new
datbase & try importing all the objects from the old one, into the new
one.

203 fields is way too many for all but the rarest cases. Your table
structure is probably not normalized. If you're not sure what that
means, read-up on "database normalization", there are lots of article
on the web.

HTH,
TC

You can try to compact your database file. I assume you know what you are
doing with so many fields and SAS.

--
Duane Hookom
MS Access MVP


"Pat Dools" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I have a large table that no longer allows any edits of any kind on it
without giving the error message: 'Property value is too large'. I have
looked this up and it occurs apparently when one has 'exceeded the maximum
number of columns allowed in a table or the maximum number of locks for a
single file.' (quote directly from Access Help). I have 203 fields in
this
table.

We could of course divide this table into a couple of smaller tables, but
we'd rather not at this point. I had put in Descriptions for every field
in
the table, and now, I am just trying to delete them in the interest of
trying
to recapture enough space to allow us to add a few fields, but Access is
balking at everything, even deleting-- with the same error message.

Access is just a front end data-entry application that gets sucked into a
SAS program for statistical analysis, which is the major reason that we
don't
want to subdivide into multiple tables. Is there any way around this?

Thanks.

--
Pat Dools

Sory, I overlooked the last bit re. why the table has so many fields.

TC