Changing Field Behaviour

[LKB]

Act! Version 22.1.212.0, Update 4

English (United Kingdom) 

Normally I work on a remote and then sync via the web. 

I need to change behaviour of a custom field entitled INDUSTRY SECTOR to increase the character limit.  I do have a previous post on this "Changing Field Character Count" but the URL isn't correct for some reason.

I have made a copy of the database locally so I can test out what I want to do without the fear of messing up the main database when I access it via the web.  Want to have notes.

This custom field is not linked to any other field.  It should not be linked to any other field, yet when I change the character count this error message comes up....

Changes to the field length may result..., (as I am increasing the field length we won't lose data)...

...the following field settings will be reset: Link to Company Field and Link to Contact Field.  Do you want to continue?

If I click no, then back to where I started.

If I click yes, another dialogue box:

Combined field lengths have exceeded the maximum for the database table.  Resize or delete the other fields before increase the length of this one.

Not sure where to go on this.  Again, this custom field is not linked to any other fields.

LKB

[ch1p]

This problem is a throwback to the original ACT design where ACT has a table with all the contact fields in it with a maxim size count for the whole table. If you create new fields ACT puts these in an overflow table once the table count has been reached so you never see the error that you are seeing

BUT

If you increase the field lengths in the original table there can become a time where you exceed the total size count for the table 

SO 

You can reduce the size of some of the original ACT fields like the Home address fields if they are never used

OR

Create a new field, copy all the information from the OLD field to the new one and update the layout. 

NB Can only be done on the master database and always make a backup first.

info@actsupport.co.uk

[LKB]

Thanks for the reply.

I have attempted to make changes on the master I get the error message Unable to communicate with server.  You  may need to log on to Act.......

Think I need to raise a ticket!

This database, created in 2008 has had many changes over the years.  The main user wants so many other changes.  I think a re-think is in order.

Thanks again for the help.  

LKB