Microsoft KB Archive/208446

= ACC2000: Errors Messages When You Export Query to dBASE =

Article ID: 208446

Article Last Modified on 6/24/2004

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Access 2000 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q208446



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 Access table are identical, if you try to export the table or query in dBASE file format, there will be 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 Export. In the Export Table dialog box, under Save As Type, select dBASE III (*.dbf), and then click Save.

Note that you receive the following error message:

Couldn't find object Table1.dbf

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