Text File
    Sets the options necessary for linking with a text-file database. For more information see External Databases: An Overview.
     
  Show me
     
    Note We only read from external databases, no changes are ever made to your files.
     
    Linking to a database held in a text file is done by setting a field's Appearance in our database to TextFile Link and then choosing a field from your database file for the Formatting. In the Details screen you then choose a value from Column 1 of your database file, and when you move off the field you will see the contents of the field chosen in the Formatting property.

We recommend that you try to use a Comma-Separated Values (CSV) file because they have a well-established format and are supported by most applications.
     
    Note Your text file must have the field names as the first line, and it must have your key field in column 1. The key field should be unique for each line, such as an account number or ID number.
     
Top   Link to TextFile
  If this is ticked then links to your selected text file database will be attempted as and when required.

If this is unticked then no links to your database will be attempted.
     
Top   Files
  Allows you to list all the database files that you have access to, and then choose the one that you want to link to.
     
    To add a text-file database:
  Click the Add button
  Browse for a file such as a CSV file
(Duplicates are not allowed)
  Click the OK button
     
    To remove a database file:
  Highlight the file you want to remove
  Click the Delete button
     
    Note When you delete a file, it is only removed from the list, not deleted off the system.
     
Top   Delimiter
  This is the symbol which is used in your file to separate the fields.

In a Comma-Separated Values (CSV) file, the Comma is used.

If you have pasted data from a spreadsheet (such as Excel®) into a file and saved it, the delimiter will be Tab.
     
Top   Text qualifier
    This is the symbol which is used at the beginning and end of each field.

In a Comma-Separated Values (CSV) file, Inverted Commas are used.

If you have pasted data from a spreadsheet (such as Excel®) into a file and saved it, the text qualifier is irrelevant but you can use Inverted Commas.
     
    Note Sometimes the text qualifier is only used around a field that contains the delimiter, and ignored for all other fields. This is acceptable and will be taken into account.
     
Top   What on earth are Delimiters and Text qualifiers?
    Imagine a small database containing three fields and two records:
     
   
Name Address Postcode
Jennifer 17 Green Road, London E15 3WD
Rachel Flat 2B, Brick Lane, Leeds LS9 4NN
     
    This database will be stored in the following way, in a CSV file:
     
    "Name","Address","Postcode"
"Jennifer","17 Green Road, London","E15 3WD"
"Rachel","Flat 2B, Brick Lane, Leeds","LS9 4NN"
     
    Notice how each bit of text (each field) starts and ends with inverted commas, and then commas are used to separate the fields. In this example, the inverted commas are the Text qualifiers because they identify the start and end of each field, and commas are the Delimiters because they separate the fields.

Text qualifiers are important, especially in this case, because as you will notice the Address field contains commas. If the text qualifiers were missing then we wouldn't be able to tell whether a comma meant Start of a new field or Part of an address. Using text qualifiers means that a comma found within inverted commas is part of a field and not a way of separating two fields.
     
    Tech Note
Only the first 72 columns (fields) of your file will be made available, and only the first 10k of data on each row (record) will be processed. There is no limit to the number of rows in your file, but it will take longer for data to appear the further into the file it appears.

Fields in your text file must not contain carriage-returns, even if they are held within text qualifiers. Carriage returns signify the end of a record. If one of your fields contains a multi-line address or comments, either of which could contain a carriage return, then the database link will not work correctly.
    Related topics
External Databases: An Overview