.idx and .dat files

[klewis10367]

Does anyone know of a tool that will allow me to view the .dat and .idx files that are created when reports are run in Great Plains? I have heard that Faircom would do this but it is not so important that I want to pay for it.

 

[jazgeek]

version and database info please.



-----------
and they wonder why they call it Great Pains!

jaz

 

[winthropdc]

Try the DDB (Dynamics Data Browser). This tool uses DDE to communicate with the Great Plains application to read data in tables.

https://mbs.microsoft.com/customersource/support/downloads/servicepacks/ddbtool.htm?printpage=false

Note that if the ctree table in question is a temporary table it is unlikely that DDB will be able to show its contents.

David Musgrave [MSFT]
Senior Development Consultant
Escalation Engineer
MBS Support - Asia Pacific

Microsoft Business Solutions

http://www.microsoft.com/BusinessSolutions

Any views contained within are my personal views and
not necessarily Microsoft Business Solutions policy.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties,
and confers no rights.

 

[stef315]

The DDB tool is the easiest and best way.
You can use ODBC with the Faircom driver to use Crystal Reports or something. It's on the CD so I think it comes with GP.

 

[winthropdc]

Note that if you can get the Faircom ODBC drivers working, they are read only.

David Musgrave [MSFT]
Senior Development Consultant
Escalation Engineer
MBS Support - Asia Pacific

Microsoft Business Solutions

http://www.microsoft.com/BusinessSolutions

Any views contained within are my personal views and
not necessarily Microsoft Business Solutions policy.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties,
and confers no rights.

 

[stef315]

Yeah, I think he just wanted view. DDB is easier and can write. I just had to use the Faircom to write a Crystal Report for someone. Thank god all my clients have switched of ctree though!!

 

[klewis10367]

Is the Faircom driver only on the 6.0 disk or is it on 7.0 or 7.5?

 

[stef315]

I believe I found it on the 6.0 disk. Can't remember much about it anymore. I know MBS wouldn't help me with the use of it. I did find an Adobe manual on the MBS site on how to use the driver.

The ddb tool is really the easiest way to view raw data in the tables. And, as winthropc mentioned, it's the only way to write changes to the data also.

Using the Faircom driver with Crystal Reports is useful if you actually need a formatted, filtered report for the users.

 

[klewis10367]

I couldn't see the data in the temp table that I wanted with the ddb tool.

 

[winthropdc]

I did mention this on my earlier response...

"Note that if the ctree table in question is a temporary table it is unlikely that DDB will be able to show its contents."

This is because when DDB asks to see the table, Dexterity will create a new instance of the temporary table with no records.

The only way to see the contents of a Dexterity temporary table is with Dexterity and source code. Then you can use the debugger to look at the table buffers and see the same instance of the temporary table.

David Musgrave [MSFT]
Senior Development Consultant
Escalation Engineer
MBS Support - Asia Pacific

Microsoft Business Solutions

http://www.microsoft.com/BusinessSolutions

Any views contained within are my personal views and
not necessarily Microsoft Business Solutions policy.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties,
and confers no rights.