View data in AHK from DBC and DBF files

[labrint]

I need to access databases from an older point of sale system which is stored in DBC, DBF mainly (CDX, DCX, DCT, FPT files also present but may not be important).

I have a very basic understanding of these database files. I tried the DBFViewer for the command line approach, and I managed to open the DBF files.
Perhaps I could use this method to convert them to CSV.

The most important file in the folder seems to be a dbc file. I could not open this with the DBFViewer.

Can anyone help me?

[RussF]

It appears that your POS was written in Visual Foxpro as can be confirmed here:
https://fileinfo.com/software/microsoft/visual_foxpro

If you need access to the data, you could try importing it into an Excel spreadsheet using the instructions found here:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/odbc/microsoft/importing-data-into-microsoft-excel-from-a-visual-foxpro-database?view=sql-server-ver15

I can't offer much more help than this, but hopefully it (and a little Google) will put you on the right track.

Russ

[RussF]

One follow up word of caution - there are many "miracle programs" on the net that claim to be able to open and read files of any type. Be VERY VERY careful with these as many are just vehicles for installing malware. FileViewPro comes to mind as one - their web site looks very convincing, but a little research will show you otherwise. Since Visual FoxPro ultimately became a Microsoft produce, they would be the first place I would look for help. If you look elsewhere, just be careful.

Russ

[labrint]

One follow up word of caution - there are many "miracle programs" on the net that claim to be able to open and read files of any type. Be VERY VERY careful with these as many are just vehicles for installing malware. FileViewPro comes to mind as one - their web site looks very convincing, but a little research will show you otherwise. Since Visual FoxPro ultimately became a Microsoft produce, they would be the first place I would look for help. If you look elsewhere, just be careful.

Russ

I saw that one @RussF. Really hoping and praying someone came up with some library I can understand and use. I managed to install visual FoxPro, but did not understand how I can use it to get the data out of the dbf and dbc.

[labrint]

One follow up word of caution - there are many "miracle programs" on the net that claim to be able to open and read files of any type. Be VERY VERY careful with these as many are just vehicles for installing malware. FileViewPro comes to mind as one - their web site looks very convincing, but a little research will show you otherwise. Since Visual FoxPro ultimately became a Microsoft produce, they would be the first place I would look for help. If you look elsewhere, just be careful.

Russ

I saw that one @RussF. Really hoping and praying someone came up with some library I can understand and use. I managed to install visual FoxPro, but did not understand how I can use it to get the data out of the dbf and dbc.

Update 1:

I downloaded Microsoft FoxPro driver from here: http://support.cch.com/uploads/Fpdriver.zip.

Then I watched this youtube explainer and I managed to get the DBC file to openhttps://youtu.be/EViBPEHcMss

image.png (210.56 KiB) Viewed 834 times

I learnt that the DBC file on its own wont open without all the other DBF, DCT etc

[labrint]

Code: Select all

https://www.convert-in.com/dbf2csv.htm

Check out this link. I've attached the db files in a ZIP file. The above program is freeware with command line.

[RussF]

It certainly looks like you're on the right track. I've done quite a bit of coding in the xBase languages, but never really touched Visual Foxpro, so I'm not sure exactly what the .DBC files are for (maybe the overall definition and organizational map of the database?) The .DBF files (should) be your raw data tables and may be the only places you have to look for the data you want. Good luck with your quest!

Russ

[labrint]

Code: Select all

RunWait %comspec% /c ""C:\Program Files (x86)\Intelligent Converters\D2CAGENT.EXE"  --src="C:\Users\John\Downloads\Vilhena\VilhenaSPOS\SSL001" --dest="C:\Users\John\Desktop\CSV files" --n_delim=2"

Works and free.