Text File Larger Than 64K Causes ODBC Error or Hangs System

 Last reviewed: February 5, 1998
Article ID: Q110301
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Word for Windows, version 6.0

SYMPTOMS

Word for Windows can use ODBC text drivers supplied by other applications to open text data files. However, text-only data files larger than 6500 characters that consist entirely of numbers may cause the system to stop responding (hang). Also, opening large text files with more than 6500 numeric characters and one or more spaces, commas, or alphabetic characters may cause the following SQL error message: 

   SQL_ERROR S1000 "Field length is > maximum.
   Unable to open table: tablename

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem with the ODBC drivers. We are researching this problem and will post new information here as it becomes available.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, open the file in Word by choosing Open from the File menu. This method uses the Word text converter rather that ODBC drivers and gives full access to the file information.

MORE INFORMATION

This problem occurs due to a limitation of the Microsoft ODBC text driver.

KBCategory: kbusage buglist6.0
KBSubCategory:
Additional query words: 6.0 a system lock up lockup freeze word6
winword
Version : 6.0
Platform : WINDOWS

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Last reviewed: February 5, 1998
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