Now it makes sense Grant, thank you very much!

A good example of how one (ok, me) can be led astray -- because I first noticed the problem with a GROUP...

I appreciate your concern Michael.

I used .doc so I could include screen captures, showing the queries, parts of the Object Explorer (to show keys and indexes), and the output of...

Thank you Grant!

Since I can't attach .sql or .sqlplan files here, I have attached a .doc file which attempts to capture my situation. And in the process of doing...

Thanks Matt, I guess that does make sense.

No, right clicking in the results pane(s) and selecting print setup or print.

Printing from other applications and from the file menu (for the query) is OK. Just the result...

Seems a bit extra work, considering that you can link to an Excel file as an external data source in Access. Have you rejected that approach?

I just converted my 558 column format file to ANSI, and imported it to a 558 column temp table

and it WORKED!

Can't thank you guys enough!!

Gee, just discovered that Notepad can save as ANSI, which did the trick for me.

(Guess I never was good with these high-end complex applications, like Notepad!)

AT LAST, A RAY OF HOPE -- WONDERFUL!!

I created the format file with Notepad (I thought, maybe I pasted something in from a web page).

So I need to strip out...

Boy if you can see something in this Jeff (or Todd) I will be happy to accept the title of Dummy.

I've attached a test data file (Dummy.txt), a format...

I am making no progress...

I inspected the source file carefully, and found it to have a CR/NL every 2016 characters.

Trying to step back, I created a dummy input file...

The file does contain personnel information, so I can't simply send a few lines. If necessary, and if my current path of attack does not pan out, I'll scramble it...

Wonderful!

I first just used \r as it appeared in your posting, and got at least the first row loaded, with messages that the second and third rows failed. But...

ToddE (11/19/2008)

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Jim,

with ( ROWTERMINATOR = '\r'

3 SQLCHAR 0 7 ...

Bringing in the entire file as...