Migrating Paradox 9 Memo Fields to MS SQL Server

[Dale47]

Hello,

I am porting a 10 year old Paradox application (presently in Paradox V9) over to VB.Net/ADO.Net/MS SQL Server 2005. The old application has a fair bit of legacy data, most of which I have been able to export to delimited text files and import into SQL Server via some VB/SQL routines.

However, several of the Paradox tables have (F) Formatted Memo fields, which are not stored in the Paradox table proper, but in external .MB files. When the Paradox export is done, the Memo fields are not included as an exported column.

The Paradox documentation indicates that a Formatted Memo field can only be converted to a Memo or Binary field, both of which are also stored externally. I've tried adding a large Alpha field to the tables in question then running a Paradox SQL command with a CString() cast to set the new field equal to the Memo field - but no go - Paradox SQL will not accept the command.

I have not tried writing a Paradox PAL routine with TCursors, trying to set a new Alpha field equal to the existing Memo field - don't know if that would work or not.

Anyhow, sorry for the long post, but I am wondering, has anyone run into this problem and have you found a good solution for getting Memo field data into a SQL text column?

Thank You,
Dale

 

[TonyMcGuire]

I've seen this question addressed several times, and have NEVER seen a solution.

You might try the client_server group over on pnews; LOTS of folks with extensive Paradox AND SQL experience.

news://pnews.thedbcommunity.com/pnews.paradox-client_server

There is also a web site with connections to the above in HTML rather than news reader:

http://www.thedbcommunity.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=43

Best of luck.

Tony McGuire
"It's not about having enough time; we have the rest of our lives. It's about priorities.

 

[Dale47]

Tony,

Thanks for the feedback. Even if there is no real solution, just knowing that I didn't miss out on a known fix makes me feel better. Maybe I'll check in with the group you mentioned.

Thanks again,
Dale

 

[Kliot]

How are you importing the data to sql server?

I have a Paradox application that had formatted memo fields that I converted to sql server with little to no problem.

The first thing I had to do was convert the Formatted Memo field to a Memo field. I used Access as an intermediate import tool because Sql Server 2005 does not import Paradox directly.

I imported my Paradox data into Access from Access, then I imported the Access Database into Sql Server using the Sql Server Management Studio. Everything imported perfectly including the memo fields.

I tried several different import options and found Access worked the best and fastest for me. It also helped me find data errors in my Paradox database such as null values in key fields that are allowed in Paradox and are not in Access and Sql Server.

I also have a 20 year old Paradox application that I am converting to Vb.net, It's taken almost 2 years but it should be done soon and should last another 20 years, good luck with your project.

I hope this helps
Perrin

 

[TonyMcGuire]

I have a Paradox application that had formatted memo fields that I converted to sql server with little to no problem.

But then you said you converted to memo. Which means you destroyed all formatting, doesn't it? Which means the 'little to no problem' wasn't exactly.

Tony McGuire
"It's not about having enough time; we have the rest of our lives. It's about priorities.