Microsoft KB Archive/150495

= ACC: Errors Messages When You Export Query to dBASE =

Article ID: 150495

Article Last Modified on 1/19/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Access 95 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Access 97 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q150495



Novice: Requires knowledge of the user interface on single-user computers.



SYMPTOMS
When you try to export a query in dBASE (any version) file format, you receive the following error message:

Couldn't find object queryname.dbf.

When you try to save the underlying table to dBASE format, you receive the following error message:

Cannot define field more than once.

When you try to export the query using the TransferDatabase method, you receive the following error message:

Run-time error '3191':

Can't define field more than once.



CAUSE
dBASE has a 10-character limit for the size of field names. When the first 10 characters of two (or more) fields in a Microsoft Access table are identical, trying to export the table or query results in duplicate field names.



RESOLUTION
To work around this behavior, use one of the following approaches:


 * 1) Rename the table fields so that the first 10 characters are unique for each field.
 * 2) Alias the field names in a query. For example, in the query field row type: [NewField]:[OldDuplicateField]



Steps to Reproduce Behavior
  Create the following table:

     Table: Table1 Field Name: abcdefghijk Data Type : Text Field Name: abcdefghijkl Data Type : Text  Create a query based on Table1 that includes both fields. On the File menu, click Save As/Export. In the Save As dialog box, click "To an External File or Database," and then click OK. Under Save As Type, select dBASE III (*.dbf), and then click Export. The error message "Couldn't find object Table1.dbf" appears.</li></ol>

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