Microsoft KB Archive/121526

= dBASE Data Source Uses FoxPro Index File =

Article ID: 121526

Article Last Modified on 8/15/2005

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Excel 95 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Excel 5.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Query 2000

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This article was previously published under Q121526





SUMMARY
In Microsoft Query, when you add a .DBF table to your query, and the .DBF file has a unique Microsoft FoxPro index (.CDX file), the index is used even if you created the query using the dBASE data source instead of the Microsoft FoxPro data source.

Additionally, when you add a .DBF table to your query, and the .DBF file has a unique dBASE index (.MDX file), the index is used even if you created the query using the Microsoft FoxPro data source instead of the dBASE data source.

This behavior occurs only if the index has been used first by the supporting data source. For example, the Microsoft FoxPro data source uses a dBASE index file only if you have already accessed the .DBF table using the dBASE data source in the same session of Microsoft Query.



MORE INFORMATION
This behavior is by design of Microsoft Query. Because the dBASE data source can use a Microsoft FoxPro index file, and vice versa, queries that you create using the .DBF table perform faster.

When you add a table to a query in Microsoft Query, the index field in the table appears in bold type.

Note that dBASE IV does not read .DBF files that have a Microsoft FoxPro index. Additionally, Microsoft FoxPro converts the dBASE index (.MDX) file to a Microsoft FoxPro (.CDX) file before reading a .DBF file that has a dBASE index.

