ACC2000: Exporting a Table to Other Database Types Does Not Create an Index (209590)

SYMPTOMS

When you export a Microsoft Access 2000 table with a primary key field to any of the dBASE or Microsoft FoxPro formats, an index is created. However, exporting to a Paradox format does not create an index in any version of Microsoft Access.

RESOLUTION

Microsoft Access 2000 has an option for field name prefixes or suffixes to indicate which field names should be indexed automatically on import. The default strings are: ID, key, code, and num. You can add custom prefixes or suffixes. Memo and OLE Object fields are not indexed.

When you export a Microsoft Access table to an external database format, you must use the native application for that file type to define the index or key fields.

You can specify text that is commonly used at the beginning or the end of a field name (such as "ID", "code", or "num") for the AutoIndex On Import/Create option on the Tables/Queries tab, available by clicking Options on the Tools menu. When you import data files that contain this text in their field names, Microsoft Access creates an index for these fields. After you import a foreign database into Access 2000, you only need to open the table in Design view to define the primary key field or fields when the AutoIndex option does not find a match.

MORE INFORMATION

The following database formats can be imported or exported by Microsoft Access. After a table is exported from Microsoft Access, use the native product for each file type to create indexes or key fields.

   Data source                    Version or format supported 
   ---------------------------------------------------------
   dBASE                          III, III+, IV, and 5 
                                  7 (Linking (read/write) requires 
                                  Borland Database Engine 4.x or later )
 
   Paradox,                       3.x, 4.x, and 5.0
   Paradox for Windows            8.0 (Linking (read/write) requires 
                                  Borland Database Engine 4.x or later )

   SQL tables,                    Visual FoxPro 2.x, 3.0, 5.0,
   Microsoft Visual FoxPro,       and 6.x (import only)
   and data from other programs   For an up-to-date list of
   and databases that support     supported ODBC drivers, see
   the ODBC protocol              the Microsoft Knowledge Base.

REFERENCES

For more information about the AutoIndex Option, click Microsoft Access Help on the Help menu, type indexed property in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.

For more information about data sources from which Microsoft Access canimport, click Microsoft Access Help on the Help menu, type data sources microsoft access can import or link in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.