Right/Left justify in flat files

[ElPresidente408]

Hey everyone,

I'm being asked to export part of an Access database with number fields right justified padded w/ zeros and text fields left justified padded with spaces. This is going to a CSV file.

So long as the padding is on the correct side of the information, it doesn't matter how the data is justified when viewing it in Excel or Access correct?

For example, the date field has a length of 8 in YYYYMMDD format. If there are 8 digits it should be acceptable even if the number is showing up visually on the left side of the column in Access correct?

[RhinoBull]

Don't be confused how data appears in MS Access - it's only proprietary application.
When you export data to say csv file and then open it in MS Excel you can format each column individually regardless of how it was exported (with leading/trasiling zeros/spaces/etc).
As far as Excel "concerns" it will right align numeric columns anyway so there is no reason to left/right pad value with zeros/etc...

[ElPresidente408]

That's what I figured. Just wanted to make sure.

Thanks