Link to dbf file requires selecting an index

[Guest]

I'm trying to use MS Access 2003 SP1 to link to a dbf file. I do not have
dBASE or FoxPro installed.

When I use the Table wizard to link to an external file, if I choose a file
with a .dbf extension, MS Access prompts me to select the a dBASE index
(*.ndx; *.mdx )associated with this file before it will link.

There isn't an index associated with this file. It is just in dbf form
natively. I don't ever remember needing to select an index file just to
import this data in the past.

If I click cancel, MS Access will completely exit.

 

[Larry Daugherty]

Hi,

I know I've run across that before and I don't recall how I got through it.
I believe I just hit Enter again and it went on with the link. Then again,
it may have arisen by choosing the wrong version of dbase file. I don't
think dbase III and IV had the index files but the later versions did ???

HTH

 

[Guest]

Larry,

Thanks for the reply.

I have tried linking to the dbf file using III, IV, and V versions. I also
have MDAC 2.8 RTM installed.

As you suggest, just hitting "enter" also closes MS Access altogether.

I have also checked my file assocations and currently, the DBF extension is
not associated with any program.

 

[Immanuel Sibero]

Hi Larry and ld,

You might have just hit Cancel or Esc. Access will proceed and link to the
dbf file. Access does ask for an index file for all dbf version (III,IV,5),
but you can click Cancel or hit Esc. All of dbase III, IV, 5 have index
files. NDX for all versions, and MDX for IV and later. NDX is a
single-column index per file and MDX is a multi-column index per file.

Immanuel Sibero

 

[Larry Daugherty]

HI,

I'm stumped. Maybe some of the wiser folk will chime in.

Just for the fun of it, have you tried getting at the same tables with
MSQuery or Excel?

HTH

 

[Guest]

Hitting Cancel or Esc will cause MS Access to completely exit and no link is
created.

Have also reinstalled MS Access 2003 with complete install, same problem
persists.

Not sure what has happened with respect to not being able to link to dbf
files.

Thanks for everyone's help.

 

[Immanuel Sibero]

ld,

Check out the following:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/230125

it mentions issues with Jet 4.0 sp5 and/or BDE Engine.

HTH,
Immanuel Sibero