.dbf to excel files

[Vivian]

Before switching to Office 2003 I had a converter which
automatically read .dbf files. I cannot find it in the
current version. I want to open .dbf and save as Excel.
I would prefer to not have to go through access. How do I
open a .dbf file?
Vivian

 

[Myrna Larson]

Do you really mean Office 2003 rather than 2002 (XP)?

In the File/Open dialog box, if you click on the down arrow next to "Files of Type" isn't .DBF
listed? If not, get out your CD and start the install process again. Say you want to add or
remove features. Check the converters and be sure DBF is listed.

 

[Hank Scorpio]

Before switching to Office 2003 I had a converter which
automatically read .dbf files. I cannot find it in the
current version. I want to open .dbf and save as Excel.
I would prefer to not have to go through access. How do I
open a .dbf file?
Vivian

Well first off Office 2003 hasn't been released yet. If you're using a
beta version of it, you may be better off waiting for the full release
rather than jumping the gun. I'll be surprised if the full version
doesn't support .dbf files. (In fact I'd be surprised if the beta
doesn't, but not having had the pleasure I couldn't really say.)

If you mean Office XP (aka 2002), you can STILL read dbf files
directly into Excel. All you need to do is change the "Files of Type"
drop down in the File -> Open dialog. It may be that you didn't
install the dbf file filter when you installed Office XP (I can't
remember whether it's one of the default ones); if so all you need to
do is re-run the setup program and add it. (My preference is to
install all file filters in one go.)

 

[Vivian]

Sorry I wasn't clear. I did mean Office Beta 2003. I did
install ALL Excel files hoping to catch the converter.
Haven't been able to yet. I'm enjoying all the Beta
goodies yet would like to find a way to get the converter
from Office XP (aka 2002) which I have. Due to my end-
line use knowledge only I don't know how to find it. I
have my old hard drive as a removable which has the
Office 2002 still intact. How do I get the converter from
there to my current set-up?
Thanks for your help.

 

[Vivian]

Thanks for your input. Please see my response to Hank.
All help is appreciated.

-----Original Message-----
Do you really mean Office 2003 rather than 2002 (XP)?

In the File/Open dialog box, if you click on the down

arrow next to "Files of Type" isn't .DBF

listed? If not, get out your CD and start the install

process again. Say you want to add or

remove features. Check the converters and be sure DBF is listed.

 

[Myrna Larson]

I don't know whether the converter is a separate file or not, but even if it is, it's highly
unlikely that you could just copy it from the old machine to the new one. It has to be
installed, and it may be "version-dependent", i.e. a 2002 version won't work with Excel 2003.

This may be a feature that isn't in the beta (though that sounds unlikely to me). You may need
to wait for the final version. Betas are not always complete.

Thanks for your input. Please see my response to Hank.
All help is appreciated.

-----Original Message-----
Do you really mean Office 2003 rather than 2002 (XP)?

In the File/Open dialog box, if you click on the down

arrow next to "Files of Type" isn't .DBF

listed? If not, get out your CD and start the install

process again. Say you want to add or

 

[Vivian]

I have just found a way to download my desired files in a
csv format which I can easily convert to excel therefore
my urgent need for dbf conversion has lessened. I would
still like to know how to convert dbf files to excel
though.

 

[Myrna Larson]

It should be there in the final version of Excel 2003. I can't imagine they've eliminated this
format.