how to determine version of foxpro?

[StaticRoot]

Please bear with me... not much of a database expert, I'm bound to make everyone here feel very smart

I am attempting to use access 2003 to link to what I'm pretty sure are Foxpro dbf files. THe software vendor that makes use of these files refuses to tell me what kind of files they are. They don't want anyone to access them directly.
A fair ammount of these files have an associated '.fpt' file, which I understand to be a fox pro memo.
HOw can I tell just what version of fox pro I'm dealing with?
I need to know because I'm getting the 'cannot find installable ISAM' shiznit. I can link to them just fine in Access 97, but not 2003.
I've downloaded the latest ODBC drivers for Visual fox pro, and I've got the drivers that came with the latest MDAC kit, but I just can't link to these darn fox pro files.
Sorry if I've posted this in the wrong place... you can beat me all you want and delete it if I have

 

[abaldwin]

What software does this database feed in your environment. This may assist in determining the version of Foxpro. Also I have seen software companies bastardized the db system such as fp to keep people out. May be some encryption or other such garly-gook in the data.

Thansk


Andy Baldwin

"Testing is the most overlooked programming language on the books!

 

[StaticRoot]

The software is called TeamDesign. It is specific to the Office Furniture industry.
I do know that the person who wrote this application likes to obscure as much as possible, so obfuscation isn't out of the question.

 

[abaldwin]

How is their internal reporting handled? Is it through a crystal viewer? Does the client install create any ODBC connections under you DSNs?

If so you could use one of them to access the data....maybe.

Other than that I can not find much info about their software.

Andy Baldwin

"Testing is the most overlooked programming language on the books!

 

[StaticRoot]

nobody knows how thier internal reporting is handled, it's a mystery.
Thier reporting is so lacking, my client is using access to get into the dbf files and run thier own reports.
Everything worked fine in Access97, linking to the dbf's as fox pro 2, but office 2003 seems to think they are Dbase 4.
I've downloaded a handful of db views and one says it's dbase 3, another thinks it's foxpro (won't say what version).

Is there a program that can accurately determine the type of dbf we are dealing with?

 

[BobRodes]

We're going back 15 years here for me, but I believe that the dbf files themselves are identical, whether they are created with dBase or FoxPro. It was one of the talking points in the patent infringement lawsuit that Ashton Tate brought against Fox Research. (Interestingly, the case was dismissed because Fox Research successfully argued that Ashton Tate had knowingly obscured the fact that dBase had its roots in JPL, and that it was therefore public domain.) Microsoft might have done something to the layout to change it, though.

You could try using ADO to open a given dbf file, and use the dBase provider and the FoxPro provider, and see if you can open it. I suspect that you can open either one.

Ok, I just looked up the FoxPro string in

http://www.connectionstrings.com,

and it is "Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=c:\folder;Extended Properties=dBASE IV;User ID=Admin;Password=". Note the extended properties value. This lends weight to the idea that the files are interchangeable.

So, I'd say the short answer to your last question is "no." Since there is only one type of dbf, such a program would be moot.

HTH

Bob

 

[StaticRoot]

THanks for the reply, Bob.

 

[StaticRoot]

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say this thread could be closed, lol

My client ended up using a product from 'white town software' that converts the dbf's into access files and then they use access 2003 to get what they need.
THey even consulted with an Access 'guru' and he couldn't help either.

Thanks again for your input!