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convert Dbase (.dbf) files to SQLite databases

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jarausch at igpm

Jul 15, 2009, 2:53 AM

Post #1 of 5 (1040 views)
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convert Dbase (.dbf) files to SQLite databases

Hi,

I have a lot of old Dbase files (.dbf) and I'll like to convert these
to SQLite databases as automatically as possible.
Does anybody know a tool/Python script to do so?

I know, I could use dbfpy and create the SQLite table and import all
data. But is there something easier?

Many thanks for a hint,

Helmut.

--
Helmut Jarausch

Lehrstuhl fuer Numerische Mathematik
RWTH - Aachen University
D 52056 Aachen, Germany
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david.lyon at preisshare

Jul 15, 2009, 3:39 AM

Post #2 of 5 (1015 views)
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Re: convert Dbase (.dbf) files to SQLite databases [In reply to]

On Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:53:28 +0200, Helmut Jarausch
<jarausch [at] igpm> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I have a lot of old Dbase files (.dbf) and I'll like to convert these
> to SQLite databases as automatically as possible.
> Does anybody know a tool/Python script to do so?
>
> I know, I could use dbfpy and create the SQLite table and import all
> data. But is there something easier?

yes...

Use OpenOffice-Scalc or MS-Office-Excel to open the table...

Export to csv....

Use SQLite Manager (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/5817)

and use the import wizard to import your data....

It shouldn't take too long...

David
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ethan at stoneleaf

Jul 15, 2009, 9:25 AM

Post #3 of 5 (1003 views)
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Re: convert Dbase (.dbf) files to SQLite databases [In reply to]

Helmut Jarausch wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I have a lot of old Dbase files (.dbf) and I'll like to convert these
> to SQLite databases as automatically as possible.
> Does anybody know a tool/Python script to do so?
>
> I know, I could use dbfpy and create the SQLite table and import all
> data. But is there something easier?
>
> Many thanks for a hint,
>
> Helmut.
>

Greetings!

If your tables are either dBase III or Visual Foxpro 6 (may work with
other VFP versions...) you can try
http://groups.google.com/group/python-dbase

#open table
import dbf
table = dbf.Table('/path/to/old/dbf')

#generate .csv file
table.export() # defaults to same name with csv extension

#access records
for rec in table:
tups = tuple(rec)
lst = list(rec)
dct = rec.scatter_fields()

I haven't used SQlite, so I'm unable to provide samples for that portion
of the conversion.

Hope this helps.

~Ethan~
--
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list

sjmachin at lexicon

Jul 15, 2009, 9:30 AM

Post #4 of 5 (1002 views)
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Re: convert Dbase (.dbf) files to SQLite databases [In reply to]

On Jul 15, 8:39 pm, David Lyon <david.l...@preisshare.net> wrote:
> On Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:53:28 +0200, Helmut Jarausch
>
> <jarau...@igpm.rwth-aachen.de> wrote:
> > Hi,
>
> > I have a lot of old Dbase files (.dbf) and I'll like to convert these
> > to SQLite databases as automatically as possible.
> > Does anybody know a tool/Python script to do so?
>
> > I know, I could use dbfpy and create the SQLite table and import all
> > data. But is there something easier?
>
> yes...
>
> Use OpenOffice-Scalc or MS-Office-Excel to open the table...

Max 64K rows for Scalc and Excel 2003; 2007 can take 2**20 rows.
Only old dBase (not dBase 7). Memo fields not handled. Visual FoxPro
DBFs not supported by Excel even tho' VFP is an MS product.

> Export to csv....

Yuk.

>
> Use SQLite Manager (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/5817)
>
> and use the import wizard to import your data....
>
> It shouldn't take too long...

... before you get sick of the error-prone manual tasks.

I'd write a script that took a DBF file, analysed the field
descriptions, made a CREATE TABLE statement, executed it, and then
started doing inserts. Fairly easy to write. Scripts have the great
benefit that you can fix them and re-run a whole lot easier than
redoing manual steps.

If dbfpy can't handle any new-fangled stuff you may have in your
files, drop me a line ... I have a soon-to-be released DBF module that
should be able to read the "new" stuff up to dBase7 and VFP9,
including memo files, conversion from whatever to Unicode if
needed, ...

Cheers,
John
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ethan at stoneleaf

Jul 15, 2009, 9:44 AM

Post #5 of 5 (1003 views)
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Re: convert Dbase (.dbf) files to SQLite databases [In reply to]

John Machin wrote:

> If dbfpy can't handle any new-fangled stuff you may have in your
> files, drop me a line ... I have a soon-to-be released DBF module that
> should be able to read the "new" stuff up to dBase7 and VFP9,
> including memo files, conversion from whatever to Unicode if
> needed, ...
>
> Cheers,
> John

Cool! I'm looking forward to it!

~Ethan~
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