Using DTS to import text file

[bywf]

I'm trying to import a fixed field text file into SQL Server using DTS but everytime I go past 3640 characters, I am not able to add, delete or move column breaks after that. Is anyone else experiencing this problem and know of a work around. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Using SP2 on SQL Server 2000.

[andi_g69]

Hmmm, don't know if there is a limit on the record lenght. But maybe have a look at this:
Are all the records in your file of the same lenght? DTS Import has a problem if the records in a fixed width file are of variant lenght (Espacially if the first row is shorter).
Microsoft recommends to pad the records with spaces in this case.
I have faced the problem several times and add a parsing step before the actual data pump task (in DTS). Read the file as type delimited, specifying an odd delimiter (e.g. '#!#'). Define the destination column as char (maxRecordLength). Pump the transformation result straight into a new flat file (fixed length). You will see all records being padded with spaces.

[croke]

Did you ever figure this out, I have the same issue? Even when I create the most simple fixed length file with one or two lines that is greater than 3640 in length, I cannot enter any more columns.

Thanks

[Island1]

Something I've done in similar threshold situations importing MS Access data in 7.0 / 2000:

Put your widest data item at the top of the file to be imported, so that it goes first ... Seemed to work in a few instances, but it was awhile back, and a different scenario, of course.

HTH,

Bill