[R] Manage huge database

[José E. Lozano]

> I wouldn't call a 4GB csv text file a 'database'.

Obviously, a csv it's not a database itself, I tried to mean (though it
seems I was not understood) that I had a huge database, exported to csv file
by the people who created it (and I don’t have any idea of the original
format of the database).

> Yes, use a database. A real database.

I've used MSAccess and there is a limit of 255 columns, as far as I know, so
there is no way of import it. Obviously, I won't buy an Oracle license to
read this file, so: what database system allows a 500000 variables table?
MySQL? Do I have to split the file in smaller parts to import in tables to
relate them all using an index field?

> No, but you can establish a link to a database. You want a database.
> A real relational database.

> Try:
> http://cran.r-project.org/doc/manuals/R-data.html#Relational-databases

It didn't help, sorry. I perfectly knew what a relational database is (and I
humbly consider myself an advanced user on working with MSAccess+VBA, only
that I've never face this problem with variables), you should not suppose
everyone's stupid, though...

Thanks for your help,
Best regards
Jose Lozano