Application created with FoxPro 2.6 can not open files.

[MaggieSam]

Good Afternoon
I am not well versed in FoxPro 2.6. I have a program that was created with FoxPro version 2.6. This program contains a large number of data files (thousands). I have tried various methods to open these files including a DBF viewer (unable to view complete data file) without great success. I have been told that if we install the FoxPro visual library (for which we do not have a license) we should be able to open these files. Can anyone help??
The original files were furnished by a third party vendor. The contract with the vendor was for field research, data collection, and computation. The contract specified that the vendor was to provide the data in a fully functional window’s based software application. Well time passes ….No vendor, No support, No server, I am trying to access these files from an external hard drive. Headaches!!! Can anyone help??

 

[Stella740pl]

Can you please clarify some points?

What do you want to do with the data?

Do you want the program you have to work and use the files or you just need the data to use in some other way or to rewrite the application?

I gather, you don't have FoxPro or Visual FoxPro of any version?

Did this program ever work? Can you open/view/use the files from that program? If it did work but no longer does, what changed? Did you transfer it to a new computer, or made some other changes?

What else, besides DBF viewer, did you use to open it?

DBFs created in FoxPro 2.x are usually can be opened very well in Excel (well, Excel does have a size limitation, 16000+ or 64000+ records, depending on the version). You can also try to import them from Access, if you have it, depending on what you want to use them for. Have you tried any of those?

 

[TamarGranor]

If you have an application written with FoxPro 2.x, you're absolutely entitled to have the 2.x runtime libraries. There's no cost to distribute those with an application. If your application has already been running, then you should have those files.

As Stella said, you should be able to open DBFs with Excel. It that's not working, it may be that the DBFs are encrypted.

Tamar

 

[Stella740pl]

I've just noticed the phrase "No server, I am trying to access these files from an external hard drive."

Does it mean that the application was backed up to an external hard drive, but possible run-time libraries haven't, and the original machine is gone?

Do you still have the disk to reinstall the application from it? Or how it was furnished to you?

 

[MaggieSam]

Stella
I appreciate your response. In answer to your questions. I would like to be able to retreive the files.I backed up the application and data files from the server to an external hard drive. In my ignorance I assumed I had covered my bases. I had no knowledge of the run-time libraries Since the data files and software application were inherited from my predecessor.( I arrived in late 2005). The application and original data files date back to early 2002 and were download from an external hard drive by the vendor. The files never existed on CD ROM, tape, or in hard copy, etc. The vendor states that the original data files and the application no longer exist. The application was plagued with problems since I arrived. (Program freezes, data files unavialable, flying screens etc.) My goal is to retrieve the data files since this information does not exist in any other format and can not be replaced. The original server and desk top have since crashed. Hindsight is Great I wish I had known. ( I should have spent less time on data research) I hope I have answered your questions any help or insight would be welcome. My MIS person is not familar with FoxPro and my budget is limited.

Thanks
Maggie

 

[Stella740pl]

Well, I think I got the idea.

My MIS person is not familar with FoxPro
Do you have FoxPro of any version? If so, I can tell you what to do in order to open the files. But I think you don't. Is it so?

I assume you have MS Excel?

If the data files are not corrupted or encrypted, you should be able to open them in Excel (if they are too big for Excel, as I mentioned above, they might be chopped off). Try one or two first. Select dBase Files (*.dbf) in the "Files of type" text box, and chose one of the files.

Please come back to tell if that worked.

 

[MaggieSam]

Stella
Thank You for the reply. I do not have FoxPro in any version and yes I do have Excel. I have a meeting this afternoon. Later today I will try your suggestion and will let you know the outcome. THANK YOU !!!

Tarmar THANK YOU !!!

 

[Stella740pl]

So, how did it go? Were you able to open the files?

 

[JRB-Bldr]

Even better than Excel to look into the integrity of DBF files would be one of the 'generic' DBF viewers which do not rely on the presence of Foxpro.

Some suggestions that I have found by doing a Google search are....

http://www.dbfview.com/

http://www.newfreedownloads.com/Windows-Utilities/File-Management/CDBFview.html

http://www.dbf2002.com/

One note - to better ensure that your Foxpro application will continue to work, make certain that you do not make/save any changes that might occur to those DBF files - just in case...

On another note - the information that you received here is both accurate and good, but in the future if you have questions concerning the non-Visual versions of Foxpro, they would best be answered by posting on the Microsoft: FoxPro (old versions 1 to 2.6) Forum forum182

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr

 

[JRB-Bldr]

Oops. Please ignore my previous comment concerning which forum to post to. I guess that while bouncing between the various Tek-Tips VFP forums and this one, I forgot where I was.

My apologies.

JRB-Bldr