dBase .dbf tables in base

[zykrates]

Dear LO Team,

I added my dBase folder to a database in base. However only two tables where found z.dbf and bordalle.dbf. The other tables are not added.

Here is one example of a table (Uploaded as *.odb, original *.dbf), which was not added. KUNDETEST.odb

Here you can see the other files:

Then I import this Database into Writer as Mail Merge. However the fields from Word are not linked with the same name and i need to relink all fields in the database.

I can not link any tables by hand as described in [Solved] How to get external data in the Base? (View topic) • Apache OpenOffice Community Forum.

Thanks for the help

Regards

[Ratslinger]

Hello,

I cannot see where your problems are. Using Linux Mint 18.3 with LO v6.1.3.2 I had no problem with the dBase file or it being available in Writer with proper field names:

Also, mail merge worked:

[zykrates]

I’m using LO: Version: 6.0.6.2
Build ID: 1:6.0.6-0ubuntu0.18.04.1

I downloaded my file KUNDETEST.odb created with the base wizard a new Database dbaseTest.odb and selected the download folder as dBase folder, didn’t find the table. Then i renamed it to *.dbf and open the dbaseTest.odb again. Now i get the same results as you.

If i open it as .odb file directly calc starts and displays it correctly.

I now got the original file and tried to open it. Base does not find it. I renamed it from *.DBF to lowercase *.dbf it seems to work.

Now i can dynamical link the *.dbf file to the mailmerge with the Database from Base. This works fine.

Thanks for your help

[PhLo]

Calc can import dBase files as spreadsheets, and you can use spreadsheet columns from there as a mail merge source. You can also create a database in LO Base from this imported spreadsheet if you want. Two options that should work as long as your dBase file successfully imports to Calc with all your columns intact. This is how I first started using LO Base a couple months ago. I was looking for an alternative for my Dad who had an old database in Symantec Q&A for DOS. One of the only ways I found to get the data out was to export tables as dBase files from Q&A and open in Calc. It worked for me, then I properly converted to MySQL with Base as a front end from there. Might be overkill to do all that for your mail merge, but using Calc as a spreadsheet data source for mail merge should be possible and relatively painless.

[zykrates]

It seems the problem was the uppercase *.DBF as i changed to lowercase *.dbf it worked. Somehow it i renamed it with Linux dBase was not able to find it anymore in the folder. Then i renamed it with Windwos and dBase found the file again.
Now i can save the file in dBase and directly merge it into LO Writer with the Base Database. So i no not need to open it in dBase save → Calc → save → open writer → import Calc file → Manually edit the fields → Mail merge.
The faster way: dBase save → open writer → mailmerge

Thanks a lot for your help

[PhLo]

Wow, nice catch. The filename case sensitivity is a pretty obscure problem to face!