Limit of 250 columns

[CorneU]

Hello all!

While trying to import a large excel database into MapInfo I was
stopped by the apparent limit of columns. MapInfo comes up with a
message telling me that the range of the 'Sheet' is too large and the
limit is 250 columns. Now, our database counts around 370 columns... I
had a quick look in the group discussions but did not really find the
answer.
Is there a way around this limit, or are there any suggestions on how
to deal with this?

Thanks very much!
Corné Uittenbogaard

Researcher, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

[Spencer Simpson]

It might be time to think about your database and if you really need 370
columns. In the end you'll probably wind up breaking the table into several
tables.

Are there groups of columns that all serve the same role, or can be
interchanged via a transformation rule? These can go in a separate table.

| ID | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun
-+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----
| 001 | 13 | 2 | 143 | 0 | 718 | 4 | 53
| 002 | 77 | 0 | 462 | 53 | 57 | 14 | 0

Becomes

| ID | Day | Ct
-+-----+-----+-----
| 001 | Mon | 13
| 001 | Tue | 2
| 001 | Wed | 143

Etc.

Are there groups of columns that work together like a separate "object"
associated with the object a row's supposed to represent? These can go in
their own table.

| ID | STAID | STAX | STAY | Itype | Lastmaintdate
-+-----+-------+-----------+-----------+----------+-----------------
| 001 | 001 | 14.333332 | 60.555555 | Seismog | 4/6/2010
| 002 | 001 | 14.333332 | 60.555555 | Magnetom | 8/8/2004

Becomes

________________________________

Spencer