web-it support and consulting - dbase exports

Web-IT Support and Consulting


A human vision on the digital world


Still using dBase?

One would be surprised how many dBase databases are still active in companies.

But what if you intend to migrate toMS SQL Server or just want to export all these files into a

*.CSV format for further use?

Not an easy task, lots of effort and really time consuming.

That’s why I want to share the next solution with you(download the slide share file to use the copy-paste

function).

Enjoy reading and for any additional question,just give a ring to my team (info at the last page).

Cheeriooo,Webby (that’s me)


Why this solution

My boss and his (my) team always have

creative solutions and like to share them.

Fastest way to convert hundreds of dBase files in 1 go

Countering the fact that MS Excel doesn’t use the system settings (delimiters) in VBA code (more on this can be found on the web)

Solid basis to use the *.CSV files in MS Excelor as bulk import files in MS SQL Server


Step 1

Yep, this looks easy

to me.

Create a new MS Excel file and save it with the option

Define a sheet where people can enter the location of their sources and destinations


Step 2.1

Hey guys, wait a second. By default the ‘DEVELOPER’ menu is not activated.

To do so follow these steps:1. Click on File >> Options >> Customize

Ribbon2. Select in the right pane the ‘Developer’ tab.

3. Click OK.

Create a new macro (module) in the same MS Excel file(that’s why you had to save as a Macro-enabled workbook)


Step 2.2

Easy peasy

Create a new macro (module) in the same MS Excel file(that’s why you had to save as a Macro-enabled workbook)


Step 3.1

Green text gives all the information on the code

Paste all the code on the following pages one after the other in the module WindowSub ExportdBaseFiles() ' ------------------------------------------------------- ' Definition of variables ' ------------------------------------------------------- Dim OriginalFolderName As String Dim OriginalFileName As String Dim SaveAsFolderName As String Dim SaveAsFileName As String Dim LastCol As Integer Dim LastRow As Long Dim LoopInRows As Long Dim LoopInCols As Integer Dim SaveAsFileNumber As Integer Dim DelimiterSign As String Dim SaveAsExtension As String ' -------------------------------------------------------

Start of SUBDownload the presentationto be able to copy-paste.


Step 3.2


Paste this code after the previous one

' ------------------------------------------------------- ' Initializing variables ' ------------------------------------------------------- ' Refer as much as possible to cell values so the end-users can define their own sources and destinations. OriginalFolderName = Range("C2").Value SaveAsFolderName = Range("C3").Value OriginalFileName = Dir(OriginalFolderName & Range("C4").Value) SaveAsFileName = "" DelimiterSign = Range("C5").Value SaveAsFileNumber = FreeFile ' FreeFile defines a file number that is not yet used. SaveAsExtension = Range("C6").Value ' -------------------------------------------------------


Step 3.3


Paste this code after the previous one ' ------------------------------------------------------- ' Loop through all the files in the specified folder ' ------------------------------------------------------- Do While OriginalFileName <> "" ' Open the first file with the specified extension (cell C4 (.DBF)). Workbooks.Open Filename:=OriginalFolderName & OriginalFileName ' Immediately save a file (destination) in the given folder (SaveAsFolderName) with

the same name as the original one and the specified extension (SaveAsExtension). SaveAsFileName = SaveAsFolderName & Left(OriginalFileName, Len(OriginalFileName) - 4) &

SaveAsExtension ' Define the position of the last column and the last row. So the next part of this code can

scroll this entire range. With ActiveSheet.Cells LastCol = .Find("*", [A1], , , xlByColumns, xlPrevious).Column LastRow = .Find("*", [A1], , , xlByRows, xlPrevious).Row End With ' Open the destination file you just created (SaveAsFileName). Open SaveAsFileName For Output As #SaveAsFileNumber


Step 3.4

Green text gives all the

information on the code

Paste this code after the previous one ' Loop through all the rows. For LoopInRows = 1 To LastRow ' Loop through all the columns. For LoopInCols = 1 To LastCol ' This IF-statement is optional. It's only useful if you intend to import the files afterwards in MS SQL Server. ' This is a predefined conversion to have a correct date format (in this case yyyy-mm-dd). ' First you test if it is a date, next you check if it's not a time. This because you don't want a time to be

converted in a date format (I noticed this is by default done by MS Excel). If IsDate(ActiveSheet.Cells(LoopInRows, LoopInCols).Value) = True And InStr(ActiveSheet.Cells(LoopInRows,

LoopInCols).Value, ":") = 0 Then ' If the scrolling reached the last column, a line feed and not the given delimiter is needed to start a new line. If LoopInCols = LastCol Then Print #SaveAsFileNumber, Year(ActiveSheet.Cells(LoopInRows, LoopInCols).Value) & "-" &

Month(ActiveSheet.Cells(LoopInRows, LoopInCols).Value) & "-" & Day(ActiveSheet.Cells(LoopInRows, LoopInCols).Value) & vbNewLine;

' If it's not the last column, the delimiter needs to be inserted. Else Print #SaveAsFileNumber, Year(ActiveSheet.Cells(LoopInRows, LoopInCols).Value) & "-" &

Month(ActiveSheet.Cells(LoopInRows, LoopInCols).Value) & "-" & Day(ActiveSheet.Cells(LoopInRows, LoopInCols).Value) & DelimiterSign;

End If Else ' Same as previous but in case it's not a date. If LoopInCols = LastCol Then Print #SaveAsFileNumber, ActiveSheet.Cells(LoopInRows, LoopInCols).Value & vbNewLine; Else Print #SaveAsFileNumber, ActiveSheet.Cells(LoopInRows, LoopInCols).Value & DelimiterSign; End If End If Next LoopInCols Next LoopInRows


Step 3.5


Paste this code after the previous one

' Close the destination file (SaveAsFileName) after the last insert is done Close #SaveAsFileNumber ' Move on to the next file OriginalFileName = Dir() ' Close the source file used for the export ActiveWindow.Close SaveChanges:=False LoopEnd Sub

End of SUB


Step 4

Run the macro (module)

Ready to Rock ’n Roll

1

2

3


Step 5

Check the destination folder and look if all files have been converted

If so, you can now work with these files in MS Excel or use them as import files into your database

It’s again a perfect solution offered by my team. So proud of you guys and girls! So what do you want me to add to

this…

Nothing?Hey I’m a wise ass, so just for you to know: The call or croak

of a frog is unique to its species. Frogs create this sound by passing air through the larynx in the throat. In most calling frogs, the sound is amplified by one or more vocal sacs, membranes of skin under the throat or on the corner of the mouth, that distend

during the amplification of the call.Some frog calls are so loud that they can be heard up to a mile

away.


One last thing before I let you work…

I am so proud about these 2 kids.

They saw immediately thatWeb-IT needed somebody like

me (smart, good looking, brains, ...)

One day the 2 little daughters of the owners were playing with the PC of the old man

They saw a presentation of Web-IT Support and Consulting and they asked what W,E,B,-,I,T was

My parents explained that it was the name of the company and they started to make funny noises

Webbit, webbiiiit, webbbi, webbeee and they said it sounded like the sound of a frog

Result?My name: WebbyMy body: a frog

Why is my name is Webby?


It might seem a bit weird that I take over the entire (and last) screen.

But it’s my job to end this case study.I would be glad to give an answer to all your

questions and remarks.Just call or e-mail me.

Oh yeah, ask for Webby. They’ll know where to find me.

Thanks for your attention and hope to hear you soon.

Web-IT Support and Consulting bvbaSteenhuffelstraat 8, 1861-Wolvertem

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: +32 (0)2 309 67 76Mobile: +32 (0)475 59 98 20

GPS: latitude: 50.97395, longitude: 4.30504

web-it support and consulting - dbase exports

Data & Analytics

consulting web

consulting step

string dim saveasfilename

string dim saveasfoldername

string dim originalfilename

dim originalfoldername

string dim saveasextension

ms excel file thats