# Need a tool to convert Visual dBase files to another format...

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-tool-to-convert-visual-dbase-files-to-another-format/190578
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [July 24, 2003, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-tool-to-convert-visual-dbase-files-to-another-format/190578 "2003-07-24T08:28:46Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2003, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-tool-to-convert-visual-dbase-files-to-another-format/190578/1 "2003-07-24T08:28:46Z")

</div>

ANY other format.

We’ve got a bunch of .dbf files created in Visual dBase 7 and I need to get them into Access so I can run some queries on them.

Access (97 or 2000) won’t import them - it says they are not a valid format.  
Excel won’t touch them  
In fact the only application I’ve found that will even open them (apart from Visual dBase) is Corel Quattro Pro 8, but that limits the data to 8192 rows, grrrr…

Visual dBase has no ‘export’ function.

Any ideas, anyone?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Tarantula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e274bd/32.png) [@Tarantula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarantula)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2003, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-tool-to-convert-visual-dbase-files-to-another-format/190578/2 "2003-07-24T09:35:04Z")

</div>

Sorry, Mangetout. You’re always so helpful that I wanted to help you, but I have no idea.

WAG - maybe you just need some additional .dll files / drivers installed ? Maybe the Visual dBase “help” file could provide some pointers…

Sorry for my lame-ass response.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Tarantula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e274bd/32.png) [@Tarantula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarantula)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2003, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-tool-to-convert-visual-dbase-files-to-another-format/190578/3 "2003-07-24T09:36:11Z")

</div>

The only other suggestion - maybe you could post your question here [http://dbforums.com](http://dbforums.com)

I know you have to register and all, but it was all I could come up with…

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2003, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-tool-to-convert-visual-dbase-files-to-another-format/190578/4 "2003-07-24T14:37:02Z")

</div>

DBViewer might be what you’re looking for.  
[http://www.legendsoft.com/](http://www.legendsoft.com/)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Opengrave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/919ad9/32.png) [@Opengrave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Opengrave)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2003, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-tool-to-convert-visual-dbase-files-to-another-format/190578/5 "2003-07-24T14:59:41Z")

</div>

I found this on the web. Go to [http://geocities.com/geoff\_wass/dBASE/GaryWhite/dBASE/vdb7.htm](http://geocities.com/geoff_wass/dBASE/GaryWhite/dBASE/vdb7.htm) and search for COPY4.ZIP. It supposedly helps to convert it down to a dbase format that is readable by other apps.