"The field is too small to accept ..." error for a bound control on a form

F. Barth

Hello,
I've posted this problem to one other newsgroups, and gotten
some diagnostic help, but I still need a solution. The full text of
the message box is: "The field is too small to accept the amount of
data you attempted to add. Try inserting or pasting less data". This
displays without a run-time error number.
This error comes about when a user (I've been able to reproduce
this error on 2 different workstations; one running
Access2000/Windows2000 and one running Access97/NT4) tries to edit a
9-digit field, defined as such, in the field of the table to which
this control is bound. What is really strange is this:
1) The control (a text box) has no problem containing the data if it's
being displayed and not edited (user has to click a button to edit
data on the form; said button is disabled for users in the
Inquiry-Only group);
2) Another form I have that has the user input data into this form (on
this form, it's intake, so data is ALWAYS being added), has NO trouble
whatsoever with inputting 9 digits; saves it without complaint;
3) I have tried a couple of diagnostic message boxes in BeforeUpdate
for the control that is giving me the problem (on the update form),
and both verify that I am only attempting to input 9 characters.
4) I printed out a KB article for this problem, but it doesn't provide
a solution, as I am not going beyond the number of characters
specified for this field.
Please advise, thanks. F.Barth

Nov 12 '05 #1

Allen Browne

What number was the kb article?

The field you refer to that contains a 9-digit number: what is the data type
of the field? Text or Number? And what is the Field Size (lower pane in
table design view)?

It may be possible to trap this error in the Form_Error event. However,
that's not going to tell you much more than you already know.

--
Allen Browne - Microsoft MVP. Perth, Western Australia.
Tips for Access users - http://allenbrowne.com/tips.html
Reply to group, rather than allenbrowne at mvps dot org.

"F. Barth" <Is*******@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:6b**************************@posting.google.c om...

Hello,
I've posted this problem to one other newsgroups, and gotten
some diagnostic help, but I still need a solution. The full text of
the message box is: "The field is too small to accept the amount of
data you attempted to add. Try inserting or pasting less data". This
displays without a run-time error number.
This error comes about when a user (I've been able to reproduce
this error on 2 different workstations; one running
Access2000/Windows2000 and one running Access97/NT4) tries to edit a
9-digit field, defined as such, in the field of the table to which
this control is bound. What is really strange is this:
1) The control (a text box) has no problem containing the data if it's
being displayed and not edited (user has to click a button to edit
data on the form; said button is disabled for users in the
Inquiry-Only group);
2) Another form I have that has the user input data into this form (on
this form, it's intake, so data is ALWAYS being added), has NO trouble
whatsoever with inputting 9 digits; saves it without complaint;
3) I have tried a couple of diagnostic message boxes in BeforeUpdate
for the control that is giving me the problem (on the update form),
and both verify that I am only attempting to input 9 characters.
4) I printed out a KB article for this problem, but it doesn't provide
a solution, as I am not going beyond the number of characters
specified for this field.
Please advise, thanks. F.Barth

Nov 12 '05 #2

MacDermott

"F. Barth" <Is*******@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:6b**************************@posting.google.c om...

Hello,
I've posted this problem to one other newsgroups, and gotten
some diagnostic help, but I still need a solution. The full text of
the message box is: "The field is too small to accept the amount of
data you attempted to add. Try inserting or pasting less data". This
displays without a run-time error number.
This error comes about when a user (I've been able to reproduce
this error on 2 different workstations; one running
Access2000/Windows2000 and one running Access97/NT4) tries to edit a
9-digit field, defined as such, in the field of the table to which
this control is bound. What is really strange is this:
1) The control (a text box) has no problem containing the data if it's
being displayed and not edited (user has to click a button to edit
data on the form; said button is disabled for users in the
Inquiry-Only group);
2) Another form I have that has the user input data into this form (on
this form, it's intake, so data is ALWAYS being added), has NO trouble
whatsoever with inputting 9 digits; saves it without complaint;
3) I have tried a couple of diagnostic message boxes in BeforeUpdate
for the control that is giving me the problem (on the update form),
and both verify that I am only attempting to input 9 characters.
4) I printed out a KB article for this problem, but it doesn't provide
a solution, as I am not going beyond the number of characters
specified for this field.
Please advise, thanks. F.Barth

Nov 12 '05 #3

MacDermott

I've run into this problem before -
getting that diagnostic message when it turned out that something quite
different was actually the problem.
Wish my memory were better!!
First thing I'd guess would be corruption -
are you familiar with ways to address that?

= Turtle

"F. Barth" <Is*******@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:6b**************************@posting.google.c om...

Hello,
I've posted this problem to one other newsgroups, and gotten
some diagnostic help, but I still need a solution. The full text of
the message box is: "The field is too small to accept the amount of
data you attempted to add. Try inserting or pasting less data". This
displays without a run-time error number.
This error comes about when a user (I've been able to reproduce
this error on 2 different workstations; one running
Access2000/Windows2000 and one running Access97/NT4) tries to edit a
9-digit field, defined as such, in the field of the table to which
this control is bound. What is really strange is this:
1) The control (a text box) has no problem containing the data if it's
being displayed and not edited (user has to click a button to edit
data on the form; said button is disabled for users in the
Inquiry-Only group);
2) Another form I have that has the user input data into this form (on
this form, it's intake, so data is ALWAYS being added), has NO trouble
whatsoever with inputting 9 digits; saves it without complaint;
3) I have tried a couple of diagnostic message boxes in BeforeUpdate
for the control that is giving me the problem (on the update form),
and both verify that I am only attempting to input 9 characters.
4) I printed out a KB article for this problem, but it doesn't provide
a solution, as I am not going beyond the number of characters
specified for this field.
Please advise, thanks. F.Barth

Nov 12 '05 #4

F. Barth

The KB article was 121512. The specific problem I have with it is
that it says that the error is caused if one field in a record has a
default value that is too large for the field's size. However, my
users are able to change other fields using that same (update) form.
This error has only been reported on one field. So if there was a
problem with a default value on another field, then this error would
be occurring much more frequently.
The field in question is defined as Text, 9.
F. Barth

Nov 12 '05 #5

Allen Browne

Okay. The k.b. does not apply, and you are fairly certain which field causes
the problem, because you can create the problem by editing *only* this field
on your form.

Is there anything in the Format or Input Mask properties of the text box
that could be masking what is really there? Or a Validation Rule? Anything
in the BeforeUpdate or AfterUpdate events of the text box?

While the text box has been edited and the record cannot be saved, are you
able to move focus to another text box? If so, open the Immediate window
(Ctrl+G) and ask Access how long the field is. Something like this:
? Len(Forms![Form1]![Text1])

--
Allen Browne - Microsoft MVP. Perth, Western Australia.
Tips for Access users - http://allenbrowne.com/tips.html
Reply to group, rather than allenbrowne at mvps dot org.

"F. Barth" <Is*******@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:6b**************************@posting.google.c om...

The KB article was 121512. The specific problem I have with it is
that it says that the error is caused if one field in a record has a
default value that is too large for the field's size. However, my
users are able to change other fields using that same (update) form.
This error has only been reported on one field. So if there was a
problem with a default value on another field, then this error would
be occurring much more frequently.
The field in question is defined as Text, 9.
F. Barth

Nov 12 '05 #6