extract data from Btrieve 3.14 database

[ct2011]

We are trying to extract data from a Btrieve 3.14 database so we can load it to another system.

Does anyone have any suggestions on free tools we could use to extract the data? We tried using the BView tool, but haven't been successful yet.

Thanks in advance!

 

[mirtheil]

Wow, Btrieve 3.14 is really old. If you have the data files and either the record structure or DDFs, you can install a later version (like PSQL v11) on a machine, copy the data, copy (or create) the DDFs, and use ODBC to extract the data.


Mirtheil
Certified Pervasive Developer
Certified Pervasive Technician

http://www.mirtheil.com

 

[ct2011]

Hi,
Thanks for your reply! This is a legacy vendor application and we're trying to extract the data so we can use it in another system without having to re-key in every piece of data. We have the BTR files and some DTA files, but unfortunately we do not have the DDF files.

We tried using BView to create a DSP file to view the BTR, but haven't been successful yet since we don't know what the record layout is.

Do you have any tips on creating a DDF even though we don't have any documentation on what it should look like?

Thanks for your help!

 

[mirtheil]

Have you tried contacing the vendor for the layout? How about other users of the application? If you don't know the structure, about the only thing you can do would be to guess. Using the DDF Builder, you can guess at the structure as seen in the docs.


Mirtheil
Certified Pervasive Developer
Certified Pervasive Technician

http://www.mirtheil.com

 

[ct2011]

Thanks for your help! Based on your past experiences, are vendors usually willing to provide clients with the DDF files? I will check with our business partners to see if they could contact the vendor.

thanks!

 

[mirtheil]

It depends on the vendor. Some are better than others. If the app is as old as the Btrieve part, the vendor may not even have that information.


Mirtheil
Certified Pervasive Developer
Certified Pervasive Technician

http://www.mirtheil.com

 

[ct2011]

Hi,

If we have a test server that has Pervasive SQL 8, do you think it could open a copy of our 3.14 database?

Is the data stored only in the .BTR file or could it also be stored in other files? We have some files with the following extensions, but we're not sure what they are:
.SCR --- assuming this is for a screen
.FCT
.DTA
.PRM



thanks for your help!

 

[mirtheil]

Btrieve data files can any extension. I've seen .BTR, .MKD, .DAT, .DTA, .B, and a few others. Those files you list might be Btrieve files. You can use BUTIL -STAT to check. If it returns status 30 (not a Btrieve file), then it's probably not a Btrieve file.
PSQL v8 should be able to open the files using the standard tools.


Mirtheil
Certified Pervasive Developer
Certified Pervasive Technician

http://www.mirtheil.com