Size limitations

[daemonk]

I am pretty new to VB.net and actually programming in general. I am a geneticist with some background in webdesign and basic (very basic) C++ and I am making an application for organizing gene sequence and other misc data. I've made a simple database application that will load a database and let an user update/add/delete data by entering it into a text field. I understand that access databases have a 255 character limit for text fields. Is there a way to get around that?

If not, I plan to save long text data in a txt file and just store the path to that txt file in the corresponding table field. But I will need to manipulate the text in the txt file. What are size limitations for String variables? Would storing the entire text from the txt file in a variable be a good way to manipulate the text or is there a better way to do it? Would I be able to do that with a readstream or something similar?

Just as some extra info. The data I am storing is about 10,000 characters or more long. The characters only consist of 'A' 'G' 'T' and 'C's with no spaces. I mainly just need to be able to search within the text and be able to highlight certain fragments or change the color of certain fragments in a rich text box control.

[edit] I am using vb.net2003 and MS Acces 2003. Using ADOB/OLEDB connection, provider to access the database.

[brucevde]

Use a Memo field, it can store up to 65,536 characters.

[daemonkow]

Use a Memo field, it can store up to 65,536 characters.

wow thanks. Do you know what the DataTypeEnum for that is? I've been using adVarWChar to create table text fields. adLongVarWChar for memo?\

*EDIT* Just got home and tried it. adLongVarWChar is the datatype for memo field.