Please start any new threads on our new site at https://forums.sqlteam.com. We've got lots of great SQL Server experts to answer whatever question you can come up with.

 All Forums
 SQL Server 2000 Forums
 Import/Export (DTS) and Replication (2000)
 invalid column length message

Author  Topic 

cronid
Starting Member

26 Posts

Posted - 2006-08-01 : 17:19:50

I am trying to load an ASCII text file (the first 5 lines are shown below).

I'm defining 29 fixed length columns and have editted the original
file to create a carriage control at the 140th position. I define
the fixed length columns in the properties tab for the text file source
with no problems, but when I go to the properties in the Transform Data
Task and select source I get the 'invalid column length' message. I am not
able to view the file from that tab even though I can see it in the
properties of the text file source.

Den

B0018001055102 000115500 000519750000 0627200626178006505250 C00000000 A100000 00000 %100 00000000
B001800130H105 000058200 000116400000 0627200626178000205250 C00000000 A100000 00000 %100 00000000
B001800206R102 000263900 000712530000 0627200626178000305250 C00000000 A100000 00000 %100 00000000
B001800206R102 000189000 000510300000 0628200626179001905250 C00000000 A100000 00000 %100 00000000
B001800206R102 000088000 000237600000 0705200626186000905300 C00000000 A100000 00000 %100 00000000

cronid
Starting Member

26 Posts

Posted - 2006-08-05 : 13:50:58
When you delimit the fixed fields it is possible to mark the start of the record as a column but then DTS sees it as an invalid length. As soon as I removed that mark, the problem was solved.

There's no other way to enter an invalid length - double clicking the same column removes the delimiter, it doesn't create two.

Interesting that Microsoft came up with an error message but didn't make it impossib;e to delimit at the start of the record.
Go to Top of Page
   

- Advertisement -