Extracting data from progress tables

[AidenMc]

Hi all,
I have been give some progress tables by a client, to see if I can extract the information from them. Unfortunately, I dont have a copy of progress, is there any other application or way of extracting out his data, without purchasing a version of progress, or do I need progress to extract his information ie list of suppliers etc

Regards,

Aiden

 

[tonys123]

No...We don't think so. We are a software house developing in Progress and my Techie guys tell me that to access the Progress tables via an ODBC link the Progress database needs to be started, for which you need Progress products. The cheapest way forward would be to buy the Personal Database but make certain you get the right version.

 

[harebrain]

Actually, the best and cheapest way forward would be for your client to dump the data in ASCII or even XML format. If he can't (i.e., doesn't have the software) then what's he doing with Progress tables to begin with?

 

[piperent]

Does your client NOT have a copy of Progress and this is just some database he found laying around on some machine? Or, is there more to this story?

An RDBMS is not like a 'flat file' database. It is 'all tables' balled up into a single file. To extract the data, you have to have software that is knowledgable of contents, formats, sizes, types, etc. It is highly unlikely that you would be able to extract anything useful without Progress.
Even with Progress, you'll need at least a functional understanding of how it works before you can realise any results.

Good Luck.

JP

 

[harebrain]

Hmm, "suppliers" eh? Maybe "customers" too? Prices? Did these Progress tables fall off a truck?

 

[AidenMc]

Guys,
Thanks for all the feedback and no the tables didnt fall off a truck . He has a copy of progress, but doesnt have the facility on it to output the files, it is greyed out when he goes to click on it. So he I would assume he needs to upgrade whatever version he is running for me to extract the information.
His IT person sent me the files, so I will have to contact him,
Thanks again

Aiden

 

[AidenMc]

Guys,
Update on the situation. This new client we have taken on ,had a system written for them in progress by a company that is no longer in buisness here in Ireland. They never had the option of this bespoke software to ouput the files. Their It guy thought that i might be able to extract the information from the files he sent me, which as you all stated above will not be possible without a copy of progress.
Anyways, thanks again for the feedback, will let you know how I get on

Aiden

 

[tonys123]

I am assuming that you mean the facility to dump the data to d files is greyed out. The reason for that is because you have a non-development licence. Progress only give the facility to extract data from Progress tables to users with a development licence.

To extract the data, you have several options. Provided that the install gave access to Progress Clients AND SQL clients, you could hit the database using Microsoft Access and dump the data - but you would have possible problems with arrayed fields (extents). Alternatively, you could hit the database with Progress Report Builder, design reports and export to text files.