Method to read contents of .dat file?

[SCHammer843]

What mechanism would I be able to read contents of a .dat file when it is created then apply to a database and delete or archive dat file?
Dat file Is created automatically and placed in a folder on network drive, however data grows at an exponential rate as a file is created every 20 minutes.
I have a excel sheet that extracts data but runs forever once data set gets too big.
I would envision this being collated in access then exported to my excel sheet.

[ranman256]

I would have the .dat file linked to access as a text TABLE.
then a query to append the data from the dat file to a table.
then move the file to an archive, to know it was imported.
put all this in a macro for a 1 click solution.

The macro:
runs the append query
runs code via RUNCODE MoveMyfile()

done.

[SCHammer843]

Ok,
On this project just went way outside my scope of knowledge. I just learning VBA for excel and am clueless on access, the file name of the DAT file is never the same. They come from different machine tools taking sample measurements. Thanks man at least i know what direction to direct whoever is going to program this monster.
I've been told running all this through a SQL server then depositing in database is access is best and fastest way to query the data parameters.