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Simon Bracegirdle
19-Jan-2005, 08:38 PM
Hi,

I'm searching for some documentation that outlines the file structure
for .dat files in dataflex 3.2b. This is so that I can write some
software to parse the data contained within them. I've found a document
for the dataflex 2.3 .dat file structure, but surely its outdated.

Can anybody help?

Best Regards,
Simon Bracegirdle

Simon Bracegirdle
19-Jan-2005, 08:57 PM
Simon Bracegirdle wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'm searching for some documentation that outlines the file structure
> for .dat files in dataflex 3.2b. This is so that I can write some
> software to parse the data contained within them. I've found a document
> for the dataflex 2.3 .dat file structure, but surely its outdated.
>
> Can anybody help?
>
> Best Regards,
> Simon Bracegirdle

Just making a correction. My dataflex version is actually 3.1d procedural.

Thanks.

Igor van Houttum
20-Jan-2005, 05:24 AM
Simon,

That information is not meant for publication.
Why do you need to know?


Regards,
Igor van Houttum
Data Access Europe, BV

"Simon Bracegirdle" <sbracegirdle@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:yga1QDp$EHA.612@dacmail.dataaccess.com...
> Hi,
>
> I'm searching for some documentation that outlines the file structure for
> .dat files in dataflex 3.2b. This is so that I can write some software to
> parse the data contained within them. I've found a document for the
> dataflex 2.3 .dat file structure, but surely its outdated.
>
> Can anybody help?
>
> Best Regards,
> Simon Bracegirdle

Larry R Pint
20-Jan-2005, 12:33 PM
As previously reported, Data Access consider this information to be
proprietary and a trade secret. I have seen document that show the
layout as people have identified through trial and error, but I can't
remember where I found it.

There are ODBC drivers available to allow you to access the DataFlex
data files directly.

Larry Pint
SOFT-STAR, Inc.



Igor van Houttum wrote:
> Simon,
>
> That information is not meant for publication.
> Why do you need to know?
>
>
> Regards,
> Igor van Houttum
> Data Access Europe, BV
>
> "Simon Bracegirdle" <sbracegirdle@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:yga1QDp$EHA.612@dacmail.dataaccess.com...
>
>>Hi,
>>
>>I'm searching for some documentation that outlines the file structure for
>>.dat files in dataflex 3.2b. This is so that I can write some software to
>>parse the data contained within them. I've found a document for the
>>dataflex 2.3 .dat file structure, but surely its outdated.
>>
>>Can anybody help?
>>
>>Best Regards,
>>Simon Bracegirdle
>
>
>

Mark Powers
20-Jan-2005, 12:48 PM
I'm with Larry, I'm not sure what your parsing, but get to it with ODBC.
Mark

Simon Bracegirdle wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'm searching for some documentation that outlines the file structure
> for .dat files in dataflex 3.2b. This is so that I can write some
> software to parse the data contained within them. I've found a document
> for the dataflex 2.3 .dat file structure, but surely its outdated.
>
> Can anybody help?
>
> Best Regards,
> Simon Bracegirdle

Simon Bracegirdle
20-Jan-2005, 10:37 PM
Well the ODBC drivers are third party, correct? Did they receive
liscence's to develop those drivers from Data Access or was it not required?

The reason I wanted the file structure is because I wanted to parse the
..dat files manually using another language aside from Dataflex (such as
PHP/ASP/C/C++ etc) for web deployment, report generation or a win32
front end. The ODBC drivers are not a suitable solution for me because
it would require the purchase of liscence's and software.

Unless there is a freely available ODBC driver for Dataflex, then manual
parsing is the best solution. However, if that is violating Data
Access's liscence agreements in any way then there is no suitable
solution for me.

Thanks all for your help.

Best Regards,
Simon Bracegirdle

Vincent Oorsprong
21-Jan-2005, 03:39 AM
Simon,

The ODBC driver developers (FlexODBC / Connix) do have a development license
from Data Access.

I hope you know that Data Access does have:
- 32 bit Windows Frontend called Visual DataFlex
- Webinterface called Visual DataFlex Web Server
- Interface for Crystal Reports called the Crystal Reports Connectivity Kit
for DataFlex

If you did not know, look at what we offer to the developers and see what we
can do for you.

--
Kind Regards,
Vincent Oorsprong
Data Access Europe BV
Lansinkesweg 4
7553 AE Hengelo
The Netherlands
Telephone: +31 (0)74 - 255 56 09
Fax: +31 (0)74 - 250 34 66
http://www.dataaccess.nl