ACC95: Import/Export/Link Text or Spreadsheet Slows Performance

• Microsoft Access 7.0

SYMPTOMS

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

After you import, export, or link a text file or spreadsheet file, Microsoft Access 7.0 performance is noticeably degraded. If you quit and restart Microsoft Access, performance returns to normal.

CAUSE

When you use the TransferText or TransferSpreadsheet method or action, or when you use menu commands to import, export, or link a text file or spreadsheet file, Microsoft Access creates a thread with the highest level of processor priority. When the action is finished, the thread is not terminated, which causes performance to degrade.

RESOLUTION

If you notice performance degradation after one of the activities listed in the "Symptoms" section, quit and restart Microsoft Access. You can upgrade to Microsoft Access 97 to resolve the problem completely.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Access 7.0. This problem no longer occurs in Microsoft Access 97.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Problem

The following steps demonstrate the change in performance by examining the performance of the Quarterly Orders form in the Northwind sample database before and after exporting a table to a text file.

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

2. Open the Quarterly Orders form and note how long it takes the Grand Total for 1994 to appear at the bottom of the form as you move from record to record.

3. Close the Quarterly Orders form.

4. Select the Shippers table in the Database window.

5. On the File menu, click Save As/Export.

6. In the Save As dialog box, click "To an external File or Database," and then click OK.

7. In the "Save Table 'Shippers' In" dialog box, select Text Files in the Save as type box, and then click Export.

8. In the Text Export Wizard, click Finish.

9. After the export finishes, open the Quarterly Orders form. Note that it takes longer to display the Grand Total for 1994 as you move between records than it did in step 2. If you quit Microsoft Access and restart it, performance is restored to the level you noted in step 2.

REFERENCES

For more information about TransferText and TransferSpreadsheet actions or methods, search the Help Index for "TransferText action," "TransferText method," "TransferSpreadsheet action," or "TransferSpreadsheet method."