The Export Data command writes data from the current database to an ASCII text file. The resulting text file can be read by other software applications for further processing. The dialog box displayed by this command lets you specify the output file and the record layout to use.

Output file specifies the ASCII file to export data to. You can type the name and path of the output file or click the Browse button and navigate to a directory that you then select. If the output file already exists, you will be given the option of either appending the new data to the file or replacing the file with the new data. You may export to a delimited file (e.g., comma separated, or csv) or a fixed width text file (.txt extension); you may not export directly to an Excel spreadsheet file (instead export to a delimited file and resave as an Excel file).

Select a Record layout that describes the layout of ASCII file you are creating. The Record Layout determines both the fields that are written to the file and the Record format that is used to represent the data (e.g., fixed width vs. delimited). You must define the layout using the Record Layout command before using the Export Data command.  In lieu of using the Export data command, which requires creation and/or selection of a Record Layout, you may use the List Data command to view and subsequently save the data to an external file.

The records exported to your ASCII file will be limited to those that meet the criteria of your choice, as indicated by the Selection expression. If the expression box is blank, all records will be exported. Click the Selection Library button to enter the Retrieve Selection Expression dialog box, in which you can select a previously saved Selection Expression (for pasting into the Selection expression box). Press the F1 key when your cursor is in the Selection expression box to get a list of the operators you can use to create the expression.