Just the other day I had to recover a DBF database that would not open after a system failure and spent some time on searching for a solution on the Web. The result of my efforts is presented here as a short description of the DBF tools from http://dbf-tools.com for not only recovering DBF databases, but also viewing, modifying and converting them to new formats. I'm sure this review will be helpful for any database administrator who works with DBF files on a regular basis.
View and Modify DBF Databases
To build a DBF database, people use many different apps, such as Clipper, dBase, FoxPro, Visual FoxPro, and these are just a few tools to name. For someone who works with various kinds of DBF files this can be a problem as it'll be necessary to buy all these DBMS tools to access various DBF files. If you find yourself constantly working with different DBF databases, take a look at a program called DBF Viewer. It lets you access and view DBF files of all kinds and modify their content easily, as if you were using native DBMS tools. For this the program generates visual dialogs according to the structure of a DBF file, making editing easy and convenient. Also you can view and modify memo fields in dBase III, dBase IV, FoxPro, VFP and dBase Level 7 formats. The program fully supports command line automation of typical operations, such as data import, export, removal of duplicate records, or replacement of data. DBF Viewer from http://dbf-tools.com works completely independently and does not require any other drivers or database engines.
Restore Damaged DBF Databases
Many people using DBF databases experience the pain and sufferings that come from a damaged database. This unpleasant thing happens more often than you may think. Quite often data gets damaged because of a system error or a virus, and then all data becomes inaccessible. For a company a damaged database can be a disaster if it contains important data, such as a client database or financial information. If it happens, the company has to hire a data recovery expert, or retype all information manually, which can take much time and efforts. Fortunately there's DBF Repair from http://dbf-tools.com which enables you to recover data automatically. To restore information, the program accesses a DBF file directly and uses a proprietary recovery engine that restores a database on its own without the need for database drivers or third-party components. After all fixes are made, the DBF file opens as if nothing had happened before! The program works with all versions of Windows, including 95, 98, NT, 2000, 2003, XP or Windows Seven.
Convert DBF to Other Formats
Sometimes users need to convert a DBF database to a new format because they want to modify it in another editor or want to give it to someone who does not have a dedicated editor to open a DBF file. If you are looking for a versatile and speedy DBF converter, check out DBF Converter. The program lets you convert DBF databases to a number of popular data formats, such as XML, CSV, TXT, HTML, RTF, PRG, SQL. Converting is easy thanks to an intuitive wizard-driven interface that lets you complete a process quickly. For converting specific data sets or columns, the program provides the built-in filtering features. All conversion is handled automatically, so there is no need for you to think over the necessary settings and no need for any special software to be installed. With DBF Converter, you are going to find an easy and inexpensive solution to converting DBF to new formats.