Importing a 23gb csv file into access?

[jplank]

I have a 23gb csv file and I'm using Access 2010. Is there any way I can import the csv file into a database? When I try to go to External Data > Text File and select the file, I get an error saying "Bad file name or data" and there are more rows than can be used in excel.

 

[shg]

Why not load it directly instead into Access?

 

[jplank]

Why not load it directly instead into Access?

I tried - that's how I got the error about "Bad file name or data". I assumed it was because the file was too large for Access to read it.

 

[xenou]

That doesn't sound too large for Access. Could be a bad file name or data.

I would try some experiments. See if you can import the first 20 rows of data. If that works try importing the first 1000 rows of the file. then the first 10000 rows. Work up until you have some idea where the bad data error appears.

Note I guess I should say that the file size by itself doesn't sound too large but there could be a lot of other problems, including (for example) that the database is already too large or that the file exceeds the column limit for Access, etc. etc. etc. That's why you want to try importing a sample of the data first just to get a finger on whether your data is even valid for access at all.

 

[jplank]

That doesn't sound too large for Access. Could be a bad file name or data.

I would try some experiments. See if you can import the first 20 rows of data. If that works try importing the first 1000 rows of the file. then the first 10000 rows. Work up until you have some idea where the bad data error appears.

Note I guess I should say that the file size by itself doesn't sound too large but there could be a lot of other problems, including (for example) that the database is already too large or that the file exceeds the column limit for Access, etc. etc. etc. That's why you want to try importing a sample of the data first just to get a finger on whether your data is even valid for access at all.

This is probably a dumb question, but how do I limit the import to the first X rows?

I see the screen where I'm asked to select the source and the error comes up before I can get to the next screen. I don't see an option to only import a certain number of rows.

 

[Micron]

Umm, Access has a 2Gb file size limit (including overhead) so 23 definitely sounds too large to me. Probably why you got the error, although it doesn't really pinpoint that as the reason. Then again, so many M$ error messages are vague, too broad in scope, or just plain not helpful.

 

[xenou]

oh duh. I was assuming 23mb lol. Yes 23gb no can do.

To import the first x rows you can copy the first X rows to a new file and use that for your import.