Question

How to read the table format of DBF file.

Asked by: techprocess

I have a DBF file. I what to know what are the column names in the table, its data type( like char, datetime, etc) and its length. etc.

I have Excel 2007 and ms access. I dont have foxpro or any other tool. Is is posible to know what is description of the table in that DBF file?

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Asked On
2009-07-26 at 23:38:00ID24602058
Tags

Fox Pro

,

Access

,

Excel

Topics

FoxPro Database

,

dBase

Participating Experts
3
Points
500
Comments
8

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Answers

 

by: Olaf_DoschkePosted on 2009-07-27 at 01:02:02ID: 24949552

What you'd typically have as the result of a query, no matter if by ODBC or OLE DB Provider, is a Recordset. Recordsets offer the field names and field types like this, if rs is a variable holding a recordset:

? rs.fieldcount
? rs.fieldname(1)
? rs.fieldtype(1)
...

So if you Select * from atable you can get that info. To get a list of tables you either simply look at the directory.

More generally you can use the OpenScheme() method of an ODBC Connection or the ADOX.Catalog object via an adodb.connection with the VFP OleDB Provider, see here: http://www.motobit.com/tips/detpg_listdb/

Bye, Olaf.

oCon = createobject("adodb.connection")
oCon.Open("Provider=vfpoledb.1;Data Source=>>enter a directory here<<;Sequence=general;")
oCatalog = CreateObject("adox.catalog")
oCatalog.ActiveConnection = oCon
 
now inspect...
oCatalog.Tables.Count
oCatalog.Tables(0).Name
oCatalog.Tables(0).Columns.Count
oCatalog.Tables(0).Columns(0).Name
...and so and, and so on...

                                              
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by: techprocessPosted on 2009-07-27 at 01:34:13ID: 24949654

Acually I dont want it through code.

 

by: Olaf_DoschkePosted on 2009-07-27 at 11:56:53ID: 24954717

Well, if you don't want to get it by code, then I'm afraid I can't help you further. If you want to only use Excel or Access visually without any programming, then either you try it with importing the table in access or start a little programming with Access or even just Word Makros...

Bye, Olaf.

 

by: pcelbaPosted on 2009-07-27 at 13:21:34ID: 24955581

Neither Excel nor Acces can give you what you need... But you may use some freeware which will provide much more than you need. Try e.g. DBF Viewer Plus  1.50  http://www.alexnolan.net/software/dbf.htm

 

by: jrbbldrPosted on 2009-07-29 at 11:05:35ID: 24972832

As I remember, DBF View did allow you to 'view' a DBF table, but it did not offer any way to get the schema lay-out of the tables.

"Acually I dont want it through code"
If you don't want to program and you cannot get the info in another manner, then you can always hire a VFP consultant who could get the info and create a schema document for you.

Good Luck

 

by: pcelbaPosted on 2009-07-29 at 14:23:34ID: 24974851

Several different programs are called DBF View. The Total Commander's plug-in called DBF View does not show the structure but this one does it: http://www.dbfview.com/

 

by: Olaf_DoschkePosted on 2009-08-03 at 04:53:57ID: 25003526

As you still seem to wait for a better answer, let me conclude for you:

With Access or Excel there is support for DBF files, but only older formats (dBASE mostly) . DBFs have evolved since the 80s, VFP9 is the last version, but is reflecting the state of 3rd quarter 2007, as the last SP2 was released. DBFs support the needed fieldtypes for SQL Server 2005 and accessing SQL 2008 is alos no problem.

Excel and Access stopped supporting newer DBF file versions much earlier(!)

So you have two choices now: Either begin a little programming from inside Access - you'll most likely have success in retreiving the DBF structure with ADOX.Catalog - or use a DBF Viewer, eg the one pcelba suggests.

Bye, Olaf.

 

by: Olaf_DoschkePosted on 2009-08-03 at 04:59:33ID: 25003550

Well, or maybe you already chose the third choice recommended by jrbbldr and hired a consultant. Would you please let us know and either demand a refund of points or close this question the normal way? Thank you.

Bye, Olaf.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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