Access Memo to Text, baby

October 21, 2006 1:47 PM

Access Field question: On a linked ODBC table, I have part number information in a MEMO field, in this format: xx-xxx-xxxx. I would like to make this a TEXT field so that I can link it to another ITEM field that is associated with cost data. How can I do this in a query? Thanks
posted by strangelove to Computers & Internet (5 answers total)

you must add a new field text, and then convert the memo field into the new text field.
posted by Funmonkey1 at 2:39 PM on October 21, 2006

Response by poster: I have the answer! Since all part numbers use the same format; eleven characters...I simply used "Item Number: Left([ItemNumber (the MEMO field)],11) and viola! A TEXT field I can link to!
Thank you Alex for the conversation about LEFT we had in my car many months ago.
posted by strangelove at 2:39 PM on October 21, 2006

sorry that came out wrong. Make a new field as type text, run an update query and set the new text fiend value to be [oldmemo] field. Access will do the conversion automatically.
posted by Funmonkey1 at 2:40 PM on October 21, 2006

haha, I thought you wanted a new text field! LOL. Sorry.
posted by Funmonkey1 at 2:41 PM on October 21, 2006

Response by poster: Thanks Funmonkey...trouble is the table is linked; so no changes to the design can be saved. Is this what you ment?
posted by strangelove at 2:47 PM on October 21, 2006