ACC: Export to MS Word for Windows Creates .txt Extension

• Microsoft Access versions 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, 7.0, 97

SYMPTOMS

Moderate: Requires basic macro, coding, and interoperability skills.

Exporting a Microsoft Access table to a Microsoft Word for Windows merge file creates a text file with a .txt extension, instead of a Word for Windows document with a .doc extension, as you expect.

CAUSE

Microsoft Access cannot export data to Word for Windows native file format. However, the text file that is exported by Microsoft Access can be used by Word for Windows.

NOTE: In Microsoft Word version 6.0 or later, you can merge data directly from Microsoft Access without having to export the data into another file. For more information, consult the Microsoft Word documentation.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

In Microsoft Access 7.0 and 97:

1. Start Microsoft Access and open the sample database Northwind.mdb.

2. Select any table, and then click Save As/Export on the File menu.

3. Click To an External File or Database and then click OK.

4. Select Microsoft Word Merge (.txt) in the Save as Type box, and then click Export. When the Text Export Wizard appears, click the Finish button. Note that the file you created has a .txt extension, not a .doc extension.

1. Start Microsoft Access and open the sample database NWIND.MDB.

2. Select any table, and then click Export on the File menu.

3. Select Word for Windows Merge (.txt) in the Data Destination box, and then click OK.

4. Click OK in the Select Microsoft Access Object dialog box. Note that the file you created has a .txt extension, not a .doc extension.

REFERENCES

For more information about sharing information between Microsoft Word and Microsoft Access, search the Help Index for "external data, Microsoft Word."