Microsoft KB Archive/94658

= Microsoft Knowledge Base =

File: Converting Files to FoxBASE+ for the Macintosh Format
Last reviewed: December 2, 1996

Article ID: Q94658

The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft File for Macintosh, versions 2.0, 2.0a, and 2.01

Summary:

This article describes how you can save a file in Microsoft File for use in Microsoft FoxBase+ for the Macintosh.

More Information:

Before Saving MS File Documents for Use in FoxBase+
If your File document contains DATE or NUMERIC fields, you must modify them as follows before you can use the document in FoxBase+:

  DATE fields must be in MM/DD/YY format. 1. From the Form menu, choose Show Form. 2. Double-click any Date field. 3. Under Display, select Short, and choose the OK button.   NUMERIC fields must contain only numbers. Nonnumeric characters as $, %, period (.), or comma must be removed. 1. From the Form menu, choose Show Form. 2. Double-click any Numeric field. 3. Under Display, select General, clear the Commas option, and choose the OK button. 

Transferring MS File Documents to FoxBase+ for the Macintosh

 * 1) In Microsoft File, open the file you want to transfer to FoxBase+. From the File menu, choose Save Records As.
 * 2) Type a new filename, select Text, and choose the Save button.
 * 3) Switch to FoxBase+. From the File menu, choose New, select Database and choose the OK button.
 * 4) In the Database Setup dialog box, type a field name, field type (all fields must be Character type), and field width (the Width setting should accommodate the largest piece of information possible for that field).
 * 5) Repeat step 4 until all fields are defined, and then choose the OK button.
 * 6) When prompted, type a filename and choose the Save button.
 * 7) When FoxBase+ prompts you to &quot;Input data records now?&quot;, choose the No button.
 * 8) From the Database menu, choose Append From. Choose the From button.
 * 9) Select All Files. Select the text file you exported from Microsoft File in step 2 above. Choose the From button.
 * 10) From the Type list, select Delimited With Tabs and choose the OK button. The Microsoft File records now display in the View window and the number of records displays on screen 1. This number should equal the number of records in your original Microsoft File document plus 1 (the header record adds one record).
 * 11) To view the new FoxBase+ file, choose Browse from the Database menu.

Deleting the Header Record
 From the Database menu, choose Browse. In the first row, select the first cell. From the Record menu, choose Delete. Choose the Delete button. Notice that FoxBase+ inserts a gray marker at the beginning of the first row. From the Database menu, choose Pack.  When FoxBase+ displays the &quot;Do you really want to PACK ?&quot; prompt, choose the Yes button. The Browse window closes and the header record is deleted. Note: All the fields in your new FoxBase+ file are defined as Character type. To change the field type from Character to Date or Numeric, refer to the Setup and Replace Commands section in your &quot;Microsoft FoxBASE+ for Macintosh User's Guide.&quot; </li></ol>