Expand attribute table text string 255 char limit

[maunaloa]

Hi folks!

I've just started this new topic, because an other topic, what i've started before a half year, isn't caused any results.

Now i've have some good info, and i want to share that here:

The main problem was, that the shapefile can only store 255 char in a string type field. I have an excel sheet, and there are cells, with around 500-900 chars. I've just joined with the common method to a shapefile feature class, and i was angry, because the text strings are cut by ArcGis. I wrote many messages, forum topics, but i don't have any good idea, to solve that problem.

The solution is simple (now )

- if you have an xls document, import it into Access, and by the import steps, change the field types, for the oversize cells to "memo" from the default text (255 char long) type. If you don't change it, the Access will cut the oversize text to 255 char.

- Open ArcCatalog, create file geodatabase (mybe working with personal database type, i've don't tested it), import the destination shapefile, and the table from the Access database. Simple join the data with Toolbox > join field tool, and it will result a new feature class with the joined data. If you check the joined text field properties, the size will not 255, but cca. 200000000 chars.

Maybe that technic works with a PGDB dataset, joined in arcmap with an outer access table, and with the join field tool.

I hope, i helped you a bit. That problem was very annoying for a half year,  but now the solution,i think that was soooo simple...ehhh....))