DBF is a standard data storage format. It allows you to transfer and save the necessary information to spreadsheets, DBMS. Mandatory components of this file are header and data area. Sooner or later, any user will have to deal with this format. As a result, the question arises as to how to open the DBF. What software will help solve this problem?
How to open DBF in Windows
There is no need to panic if you cannot immediately find a program to open the database file. The solution to the problem is usually nearby. If you have MS Office installed on your computer, you can use Excel or Access. First, you need to launch the application, then select the "Open" menu item or press the CTRL + O key combination. Specify "All" in the "Files of type" field. Then you can select the desired document and open it. If this solution for some reason does not work, and the user still does not know how to open the DBF, alternative options can be considered.
Programs to work with DBF
- DBFShow (free application, allows you to open and edit files);
- DBF Viewer Plus (free to use, many features);
- MS SQL Server (expensive DBMS);
- DBF Commander (free distribution, viewing and editing);
- MS Access (paid program from the MS Office package);
- CDBF (paid program, advanced features);
- MS Excel (included in the set of Microsoft office applications).
The above list of applications for opening database files is far from complete. However, the user will probably find the desired program in it. He will be able to open a DBF file with its help in a few seconds. Free applications can be easily found and downloaded on the Internet. The use of paid software assumes that the user will first pay to use the software.
If problems arise
What can you do if the database flatly refuses to open in Excel and Access is not installed? How to open DBF in this case? You shouldn't rush to look for other software. If the MS Office package is installed on the computer in a minimal configuration, then Excel may lack a special add-in for working with our format. Therefore, you must first search the network and download the required library to your computer.
The library files are archived, and there is also detailed installation instructions. The user, who is still puzzled by the question of how to open DBF, needs to follow a few simple steps by copying the files to the folders indicated in the instructions. After that, you should go to the "Add-ins" section in the Excel program and put a tick next to the item "Add-in for working with DBF".
Chief Technology Writer
Did someone email you a DBF file and you're not sure how to open it? Maybe you have found a DBF file on your computer and wondering what it's for? Windows might tell you that you can't open it, or in the worst case scenario, you might encounter a DBF file related error message.
Before you can open a DBF file, you'll need to figure out what kind of file the DBF file extension refers to.
Tip: Incorrect DBF file association errors can be a symptom of other underlying issues within your Windows operating system. These invalid entries can also produce associated symptoms such as slow Windows startups, computer freezes, and other PC performance issues. Therefore, it highly recommended that you scan your Windows registry for invalid file associations and other issues related to a fragmented registry.
Answer:
DBF files are Database Files primarily associated with CDBF Database (WhiteTown Software).
DBF files are also associated with iAnywhere Database File (Sybase Inc.), The Network Diary Database (CF Systems Ltd), ACT! Main Database File (Best Software CRM Division), Alpha Five Table Data File (Alpha Software Inc.), NovaBACKUP Backup Database (NovaStor Corporation), Oracle 8.x Tablespace File, Abacus Law Data (Abacus Data Systems Inc.), Psion Series 3 Database (Psion PLC), ArcView Shapefile Attribute Table File (ESRI), Database, JetForm FormFlow Data File, and FileViewPro.
Additional types of files may also be using the DBF file extension. If you are aware of any other file formats that use the DBF file extension, please contact us so that we can update our information accordingly.
How to open your DBF file:
The fastest and easiest way to open your DBF file is to double-click it. In this case, Windows will automatically select the required program to open your DBF file.
In case your DBF file won't open, it is very likely that your PC does not have the required application program installed to view or edit files with DBF extensions.
If your PC opens the DBF file, but it's the wrong application, you'll need to change your Windows registry file association settings. In other words, Windows is associating DBF file extensions with the wrong program.
Install Optional Products - FileViewPro (Solvusoft) | | | |
DBF File Analysis Tool ™
Unsure about which type of DBF file you have? Want to get accurate information about a file, its creator and how you can open it?
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Within a few seconds, you will know for sure the type of your DBF file, the application associated with the file, the name of the user who created the file, the file's protection status, and other useful information.
To start analyzing a file for free, simply drag your DBF file inside the dotted line below, or click View My Computer and select the file. The DBF file analysis report will be shown below, right in the browser window.
Drag and drop your DBF file here to start analysis
View my computer "
Please also check my file for viruses
Your file is being analyzed ... please wait.
The DBF extension falls into two main categories:
- DBF format (full. dataBased Intelligence) is commonly used as a database file in most software applications. This extension is effectively used as a standard method for storing and transmitting data in the form of database management systems (DBMS), spreadsheets, etc.
For quite a long time (since 1980), this information presentation format (known as Dbase) has been one of the most popular for microcomputer DBMS and related software and hardware equipment, including Apple, UNIX and IBM PC.
The structure of a standard DBF file is based on a spreadsheet containing a number of fixed-length data fields, a header, and actual records. The very first field is a set of structured data containing record deletion information (asterisk). It is noteworthy that after deleting a particular record, it can be restored or already deleted permanently.
- DBF extension, which is an Oracle database table view file. As an object-relational DBMS, this format is universal for its use and can be used equally effectively both on the basis of Windows and Unix operating systems. The data in such a DBF file is stored as “table spaces” created by the integrated Oracle CREATE / ALTER TABLESPACE commands.
This format has many different designs and modifications, sometimes even incompatible with each other. For example, DBF, developed by ESRI, is far from a typical DBMS representation and is a set of spatial data in a geographic information system.
Thus, there is no single standard (technology) for representing the DBF format. This creates certain difficulties for the user in terms of opening and editing the file. Sometimes the DBF extension comes with a file that does not work autonomously, is auxiliary and opens only in conjunction with DBF.
Programs to open DBF files
Depending on the version and area of \u200b\u200bits practical application, the DBF extension can be generated and edited by the following software applications:
- windows OS uses dBase, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Visual FoxPro, Microsoft Works, Corel Quattro Pro, Apache OpenOffice, HiBase Group DBF Viewer, Astersoft DBF Manager, DBF Viewer Plus, DBFShow, DBF Navigator, WinDBFView, Sage ACT, CGF Shop Data Management Center,, OpenOffice.org Calc, ArcGIS, Arago, AbacusLaw, CA-dBFast, Wordtech, Alpha Five, NovaBACKUP, The Network Diary, FLARE, ACDSee;
- mac OS can use Planamesa NeoOffice, Apache OpenOffice, OpenOffice.org Calc;
- on Linux: Apache OpenOffice, multisoft FlagShip.
If an error occurs when opening a DBF extension, the reasons may be as follows:
- file is damaged or infected;
- the file is not associated with the OS registry (an incorrect application has been selected for playback or a specific plug-in has not been installed);
- insufficient device or OS resources;
- damaged or outdated drivers.
Converting DBF to other formats
In each specific case, the structure and area of \u200b\u200bpractical use of the DBF extension is unique. To convert the format, it is customary to use exactly the software product with which the generation was performed.
However, the most popular way to translate a file is considered to be the conversion of DBF to. MDB - Spreadsheet Presentation Format Microsoft Access... With a powerful enough integrated converter, Access can translate data with virtually no loss or damage.
Converting DBF extensions to other formats is practically not practiced.
Why exactly DBF and what are its advantages?
DBF extension is one of the most popular and demanded formats for storing and transmitting data in the form of database management systems (DBMS), spreadsheets, etc.
This file can have a wide variety of different designs and modifications, sometimes even incompatible with each other.
For high-quality processing and editing of the format, it is strongly recommended to use the software application with which the file was generated.
If you find a file with the DBF extension somewhere and do not know how to open it, and the operating system cannot find installed programs that can work with such files, then you have come to the right address. Indeed, in our article we will deal with the problem of opening such files - we will find out what the DBF format is generally used for, which programs are better to use to work with files of this format, what should be taken into account.
What is DBF format
Most often, accountants will have to open dbf files - 1C 7 stores data in them
Dbf files are used to store and transfer information. They are used by DBMS, etc. Today, the dbf extension is used by various applications, although it was originally provided only by the dBase program. At first, dBase was the most popular program for working with databases, with the advent of Microsoft Access, it somewhat lost its position. Despite this, many newer programs use the dbf extension.
What programs to open a DBF file
Often questions arise, which program to choose to open the dbf file. So ... DBF file is a database file that can be used in Visual FoxPRO, FoxPro, 1C 7.7. The most convenient applications for editing such files are as follows:
- DBFShow. This is a free program. It is characterized by wide functionality, for which it is popular among users. The developers are constantly improving the program, new features appear in it.
- DBFViewer 2000 is an excellent well-designed application, one of the main advantages is the wide possibilities for both export and import of data. However, it is marketed as shareware.
- DBF Navigator - the program pleases with the speed of work and is distributed free of charge, but, unfortunately, the developer company has already stopped releasing updates.
If it is not possible to install the required application, then use Excel or its analogue - Open Office Calc.
There is no way to open and save dbf files, so you must first connect a special add-on "dbf_operations.xla" and use it in the future.
In addition to those described, there are other editors that work with dbf documents. Only the most common methods have been listed here, which in most cases help to resolve the question of how to open the dbf file.
Options for opening dbf with excel
There are several of them. Note, the dbf format comes in several modifications: dBase II; dBase III; dBase IV; foxpro and several others.
What else can affect the neat opening of dbf files? it types of documents... And here excel takes a leading place among other programs, and for its ability to open any type of document in dbf format.
In terms of opening, it is unique to this format, but the preservation requires additional explanation.
One way to open dbf filethis is to use the window through which we open the file in the file menu. This is a fairly simple way, and even without special knowledge, you can safely use it.
First action - open excel, go to "file", then "open" in the drop-down menu.
further "open" in the drop-down menu.
Thus, we see a familiar window for opening the desired file. We find the file we are interested in, and at the bottom right we put the dBase files, or dbf, if the file is still poorly visible, we put “all files”. In this mode, you will find the desired file in the folder where it should be.
Selecting the file - click "open".
As a result, we will get in the excel file our already open dbf file on sheet1.
You can open the file and double-click on the file itself.
However, this is possible if you saddle certain settings in excel. And so with the left mouse button we double-click on the file that we want to open in dbf format.
As a result of this action, we will receive a message in which the program will tell us that the result is negative when opened in this way, and will offer its options for opening the file.
This is either a search for a solution to the problem on the Internet, or select the desired program from the proposed list. We activate the program by clicking on "ok" using the proposed list of programs. It is possible that the dbf file may already have been previously opened by another program. And we need to run the file in excel, then we use the right mouse button, hovering over the dbf file, and in the menu we look for "open with" we find this tab, click on it and get the proposed range of programs. We are looking for excel and click on the program shortcut.
And if we do not see the excel program, then click properties, find the shortcut "general" and in the application parameters click on "change", respectively select excel.
And so we considered several options for how to open a dbf file in excel.
It should be noted that when working with any of the described methods, you see a file open window. If there is excel in the list of programs, then click on it. Otherwise, we are looking for a "review"
we activate it and do the manipulations described above. However, a situation may arise when we activate the "open with" window and see the explorer window.
In this case, you should go to the folder where the Microsoft Office program is and look for excel in it. It's usually easy to find. Changes can only be due to versions of excel itself. Path C: Program Files Microsoft Office office # and for different versions we supply the number of the office you have installed instead of the # icon. We got into our directory, we see the excel file there. exe.
With the mouse, point to this file and activate it. We will be transferred to the already familiar selection list, and here excel will certainly be visible.
As a result, we will get the open dbf format in Excel.
For further opening of dbf files, by simply clicking on it with the mouse, we put a checkbox in the list of suggestions "use this program always to open these files".
Click "ok" and the next time, by double-clicking on the file with the mouse button, you will automatically receive the opening of the dbf excel file.
As you can see, everything is quite simple and is clearly shown in the pictures.
