Re: Converting xy to dbf

[Norman Bauman nbauman@xxxxxxxx]

At 05:27 PM 11/20/03 -0800, AndyCh wrote:
>
>-Source file is written in xy 4.18, DOS.
>and is esactly like this
>
>> >24)...
>> >25) Title *****, Code *****, 1=*****,2=*****, 3=*****
>> >26)...
>
>Have I to change something ? ?
>
>
>The data-base program is dbxL, a DOD dbIII clone
>-PC-File is a DOS-program too ? Can I download it ?

Yes, it was shareware, and is now abandonware. Search Google for "PC-File
Buttonware" Here's a site that has it:
http://bhs.broo.k12.wv.us/files/applicat.htm

PC-File also has a good online manual.

But any database program will do. I can save files in .dbf from WordPerfect
Win.

>-The dbf file must be created before importing ?

No, you can import a text file or other formats. After you import it, the
database program creates the .dbf file.

>Thanks for your help.
>
>
>Date sent:   	Thu, 20 Nov 2003 07:20:54 -0500
>To:       	xywrite@xxxxxxxx
>From:      	Norman Bauman 
>Subject:    	Re: Converting xy to dbf
>Send reply to: 	xywrite@xxxxxxxx
>
>> I imported XyWrite files into databases all the time, and it was pretty
>> easy once I figured it out.
>>
>> You could do it a lot of ways. The easiest way depends on what programs you
>> have around and what programs you're most familiar with.
>>
>> The database program I used most was PC-File, a shareware program. It had a
>> menu that would allow me to import a database (I assume all databases do).
>> I'd choose the format of the file that I was importing -- comma-delimited,
>> carrier-return-delimited, etc., and import it into the program, which would
>> convert it to a DBF file. I imported a lot of name, address and phone
>> number files.
>>
>> I usually used text files with a carrier return at the end of every field.
>> I had to clean them up a bit, because if one record had one line too many
>> or too few, everything after that was offset by 1 field, and I had to
>> change it and import it all over. (People who follow molecular biology will
>> recognize the resemblance to a deletion mutation.)
>>
>> However, if you have comma-delimited fields with carrier returns at the end
>> of every record, that would be even easier.
>>
>> XyWrite 3 was particularly useful for cleaning up text files to import into
>> databases. If the original file had delineation characters that weren't
>> compatible with the database, I could search and replace with characters
>> that were. Or I could get rid of extraneous text (like that parenthesis in
>> your example) with search and replace. I used the Window size screen,
>> ctrl-F10, to set up a window that had exactly the right number of lines, so
>> I could review the text file with Page Down, which makes it very easy to
>> see whether it had the right number of lines. I also used XyWrite to search
>> and replace date formats from e.g. November 20, 2003 to 20031120, to get it
>> into a format that the database program would recognize.
>>
>> Another way I did it was by importing it into Lotus 1-2-3 or its shareware
>> clones. I think Lotus 1-2-3 will automatically convert comma-delineated
>> text files into standard Lotus .wk1 files, and then you can export it as
>> .dbf files.
>>
>> Another way I did it was with WordPerfect tables. Once again, if you're
>> familiar with WordPerfect or Word, that might be easier.
>>
>> Norman
>>
>>
>> At 10:10 AM 11/20/03 -0800, AndyCh wrote:
>> >
>> >I have a long xy file with records like this
>> >
>> >24)...
>> >25) Title *****, Code *****, 1=*****,2=*****, 3=*****
>> >26)...
>> >
>> >and I've to tranfer all data to a .dbf file.

-------------------------------------------------------
Norman Bauman
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New York, NY 10019
(212) 977-3223
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Alternate address: nbauman@xxxxxxxx
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