BUG: Access 2010 Macro Action ImportExportText Specification field returns incorrect value for selected specification

Question

Macro Action ImportExportText Specification field is returning record number of selected specification in MSysIMEXSpecs instead if SpecID for specification chosen in the drop down list of the macro action.  Correct SpecID value is required for action run correctly.

For example if I have three save Import/Export specification that appear in the order listed in the MSysIMEXSpecs system table with the listed values for the SpecID and SpecName fields:

SpecID SpecName

5 test1

6 test2

7 test3

8 test4

9 test5

and I choose test1 from the specifications drop down list in the ImportExportText Macro Action the acro fail on execution with the message "The text file specification '1' does not exist.  You cannot import, export, or link using the specification."  If I use test2 is says specification '2' does not exist and for test3 the '3' does not exist, but if I use test5 it succeeds but uses the wrong specification (test1 instead of test5).  The only time the macro action executes without error is where the record number is identical to the SpecID

Windows 7 (64 bit), Office 2010 (64 bit) and Access are all fully updated.  This behavior occurs across all databases (including newly created ones).  Removal and reinstallation of Office 2010 (including Access) and subsequent total system wipe and reinstallation of both Windows 7 and Office 2010 (including Access) yielded no change.  Separate installation of both on different hardware also yielded no change.  The only thing I have not tried is installing the 32 bit version.

Suspected cause:  An enumeration is being created to populate the specification combo box of the ImportExportText macro action and either no value is specified for each enumeration member or that the record number is used.  In either case the value should be taken from the SpecID field.

Answer 1

Hello Everyone,

The following KB article discusses this behavior:

2581495 - Access 2010 Error: "The text file specification '<number>' does not exist. You cannot import, export, or link using the specification" when running a macro

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;2581495

It appears the issue has been fixed in the June 2011 cumulative update (KB 2544022), so you should be able to install this to resolve the issue.

2544022 - Description of the Access 2010 hotfix package (access-x-none.msp): June 28, 2011

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;2544022

I hope that helps.

Best Regards,

Nathan O.

Microsoft Online Community Support

Answer 2

It's a well known bug:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2496296

The 'work around' - Method 1 worked for me.

Answer 3

I just upgraded to access 2010 from 2007, and have the same problem. on the line "specification name", there is a drop down menu that shows the import specifications i have saved, but when i try to import a text file, I get an error message that "the text specification file ***** does not exist.  I've tried everything i can think of, from deleting all specification files and recreating them, but the command simply cannot see teh specification file.  does this mean i can't import any text data until microsoft releases a fix for this problem??  I dont know vba, so this work around doesnt help me a whole lot. any idea when microsoft is going to fix problem?

Answer 4

Thank you Hans.  I have been able to successfully work around the issue using VBA.  I was mostly looking to report a bug and didn't know a better venue for doing so.  If anyone does please let me know.

Answer 5

This does appear to be a bug, but with the macro action only. Try using DoCmd.TransferText in VBA instead of a macro as an interim solution.