schema.ini file not working for MS Access

Question

I have a bunch of csv files that I import via VBA into tables in Access. I also have a schema.ini file in the same directory as the csv files that I am importing. Despite fields

Answer 1

I have a half answer. I found no way to avoid the Col# option in the schema.ini file despite what it says here: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms709353(v=VS.85).aspx (If you know how to do it, post an answer and I'll give you credit.)

Other than that I figured out how to force a data type on a field that has a bunch of null values at the top of the file.

(Note that the link above says you can use ColNameHeader=True MaxScanRows=0 and it will look at the entire file for a format. That didn't work for me.)

Here is my working sample (my answer)....

Create this csv file and save it directly on your C drive (no folder) and save it as test.csv:

+-----------+----------+---------+
| FirstName | LastName | Anumber |
+-----------+----------+---------+
| Nancy     | Davolio  |         |
| Robert    | King     |         |
| Nancy     | Davolio  |         |
| Robert    | King     |         |
| Nancy     | Davolio  |         |
| Robert    | King     |         |
| Nancy     | Davolio  |         |
| Robert    | King     |         |
| Nancy     | Davolio  |         |
| Robert    | King     |         |
| Nancy     | Davolio  |         |
| Robert    | King     |         |
| Nancy     | Davolio  |         |
| Robert    | King     |         |
| Nancy     | Davolio  |         |
| Robert    | King     |         |
| Nancy     | Davolio  |         |
| Robert    | King     |         |
| Nancy     | Davolio  |         |
| Robert    | King     |         |
| Nancy     | Davolio  |         |
| Robert    | King     |         |
| Nancy     | Davolio  |         |
| Robert    | King     |         |
| Nancy     | Davolio  |         |
| Robert    | King     |         |
| Nancy     | Davolio  |         |
| Robert    | King     |         |
| Nancy     | Davolio  |         |
| Robert    | King     |         |
| Nancy     | Davolio  |         |
| Robert    | King     |         |
| Nancy     | Davolio  |         |
| Robert    | King     |         |
| Nancy     | Davolio  |         |
| Robert    | King     |         |
| Nancy     | Davolio  | 1.1     |
| Robert    | King     | 2.1     |
+-----------+----------+---------+

The large number of Null values in the Anumber field is important to this.

In the SAME LOCATION create a text file and save it has schema.ini with the following in it:

[test.csv]
ColNameHeader=True
MaxScanRows=0
CharacterSet=ANSI
Format=CSVDelimited
Col1="First Name" Char
Col2="Last Name" Char
Col3="Anumber" Double 

Then run this code in MS Access VBA (2013 for me):

Sub ImportSchemaTable()
    Dim db As DAO.Database
    Set db = CurrentDb()
    db.Execute _
    "SELECT * INTO test FROM [Text;FMT=CSVDelimited;HDR=Yes;DATABASE=C:\;].[test#csv];", dbFailOnError
    db.TableDefs.Refresh
    RefreshDatabaseWindow
End Sub

And a table called "test" will be created using the test.csv file and the schema.ini file (in the same location as the test.csv file) and the "Anumber" field will be formatted as a "Number" despite all of the Null values at the top of the field. If you do not use the schema.ini file, the "Anumber" field will be formatted as a Short Text type.

Edit: Change "C:\" in the Sub above to where ever you want to have your csv file AND schema.ini file.