Microsoft KB Archive/209703

= ACC2000: Field Size for Text in Table Is Variable Length =

Article ID: 209703

Article Last Modified on 6/29/2004

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Access 2000 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q209703



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

This article applies only to a Microsoft Access database (.mdb).



SUMMARY
Microsoft Access sets the field length of a Text field to the length of the entered text if the text entered is shorter than the maximum field size.



MORE INFORMATION
When you set the FieldSize property of a table in Design view, you are setting the maximum length for the field. If the text entered into that field is shorter than the specified maximum length, the length of that field equals the length of the text that has been entered. This means that whether you design a text column as 20 characters or 255 characters, it takes up only the amount needed to store the actual data entered in that field.

The difference between specifying 20 or 255 characters is that the former limits you to entering 20 characters while the latter allows you to enter up to 255 characters.

