[AccessD] SPAM-LOW: Re: SPAM-LOW: Re: DBF & Access: "external table is not inthe expectedformat"

Christopher Hawkins clh at christopherhawkins.com
Fri Sep 9 16:05:09 CDT 2005


Specifying the dBASE driver and putting the filename in the connect string yields the same error.

For a variety of reasons, installing additional drivers is not a possibility, nor is using a DSN.

The version of Jet on this machine is above Service Pack 8.

This is so peculiar.  I just don't know what to think.

-C-

----------------------------------------
 From: MartyConnelly <martyconnelly at shaw.ca>
Sent: Friday, September 09, 2005 2:42 PM
To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving <accessd at databaseadvisors.com>
Subject: SPAM-LOW: Re: [AccessD] SPAM-LOW: Re: DBF & Access: "external table is not inthe expectedformat" 

There were all sorts of problems with dbf files with Jet below SP7
Visual Fox Pro also uses dbf files
You might need the BDE engine to read DBASE 7 and 8 file types
You might need an ODBC driver from Merant.
Some of the ODBC drivers require old DOS 8.3 filenames
You might get away with
oConn.Open "Driver={Microsoft dBASE Driver (*.dbf)};" & _
"DriverID=277;" & _
"Dbq=c:\somepath"
Then specify the filename in the SQL statement:

oRs.Open "Select * From user.dbf", oConn, , ,adCmdText

http://www.carlprothman.net/Default.aspx?tabid=90#ODBCDriverForDBASE

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;238431
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;230125

John W. Colby wrote:

>In which case it might not even be a dbf (dbase) file. You can call an mdb
>anything you want and Access will still open it. Maybe this thing just
>calls its data files dbfs.
>
>John W. Colby
>www.ColbyConsulting.com 
>
>Contribute your unused CPU cycles to a good cause:
>http://folding.stanford.edu/
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
>[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Christopher
>Hawkins
>Sent: Friday, September 09, 2005 3:36 PM
>To: accessd at databaseadvisors.com
>Subject: Re: [AccessD] SPAM-LOW: Re: DBF & Access: "external table is not
>inthe expectedformat"
>
>
>It's coming from some shrinkwrapped management app they bought. They don't
>know what version of .dbf file it is producing. They don't know much of
>anything, really.
>
>-C-
>
>----------------------------------------
> From: "John W. Colby" 
>Sent: Friday, September 09, 2005 1:21 PM
>To: "'Access Developers discussion and problem solving'"
>
>Subject: SPAM-LOW: Re: [AccessD] DBF & Access: "external table is not in the
>expectedformat" 
>
>Have you asked the client what application (and version) the table is from?
>
>John W. Colby
>www.ColbyConsulting.com 
>
>Contribute your unused CPU cycles to a good cause:
>http://folding.stanford.edu/
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
>[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Christopher
>Hawkins
>Sent: Friday, September 09, 2005 3:08 PM
>To: accessd at databaseadvisors.com
>Subject: [AccessD] DBF & Access: "external table is not in the
>expectedformat"
>
>All,
>
>This is driving me nuts. A client needs me to be able to link to their .dbf
>data file from Access. Every time I try to link or import, I get the error
>message:
>
>"external table is not in the expected format"
>
>I've tried searching Microsoft's site and have come up with little so far.
>I'vetried linking and connecting with DBASE5, III and IV. I'm not sure what
>else to try. Has anyone else seen this problem before?
>
>-C-
>
> 
>

-- 
Marty Connelly
Victoria, B.C.
Canada

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