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Beware! Do not open .dbf directly from A5 application

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    Beware! Do not open .dbf directly from A5 application

    I discovered that you damage the .dbf if you open it directly from the application folder before you fire-up A5. This is a fatal mistake if you dont have a backup file. Does anyone know how to restore it? Fortunately, I tested it on a dummy apps.
    sigpic
    Charles TAN


    We have smart clients because we work hard for them.

    #2
    Re: Beware! Do not open .dbf directly from A5 application

    I open them all the time with Excel and Notepad without regard to if Alpha is running or not. From my experience, there is no danger -- you just cannot SAVE the dbf with that other program.
    Steve Wood
    See my profile on IADN

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      #3
      Re: Beware! Do not open .dbf directly from A5 application

      Hi Steve:

      Try opening the .dbf directly (e.g. double clicking it) without selecting a software program. It will automatically use A5 and in the process damage the file. If you open the apps later with A5 to view the table or form the error msg reads: "...hr:dbf: File is not a recognzied DBF format"

      I thot this is an important discovery to share as it can destroy the apps if for any reason (weird as it may be), a developer clicks to open the .dbf file directly without selecting an appropriate program. I get the same result even if A5 has already been opened in the same session.
      sigpic
      Charles TAN


      We have smart clients because we work hard for them.

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Beware! Do not open .dbf directly from A5 application

        Originally posted by [email protected] View Post
        Hi Steve:

        Try opening the .dbf directly (e.g. double clicking it) without selecting a software program. It will automatically use A5 and in the process damage the file. If you open the apps later with A5 to view the table or form the error msg reads: "...hr:dbf: File is not a recognzied DBF format"

        I thot this is an important discovery to share as it can destroy the apps if for any reason (weird as it may be), a developer clicks to open the .dbf file directly without selecting an appropriate program. I get the same result even if A5 has already been opened in the same session.
        Reading between the lines, some how the windows file association has been set to open Alpha5 for a .dbf

        This is not the normal configuration and needed to be manually set by some one.

        I just tried what you explained and did not get any corruption of the table. I did get some new files when Alpha tried to use the tablename as a database name.

        I would change the windows file association on the machine so that Alpha doesn't open a dbf.

        As an additional note, using windows file association to open a .adb isn't best practice.

        Use the Alpha Create Shortcut tool to generate a way to open a database with Alpha.
        Al Buchholz
        Bookwood Systems, LTD
        Weekly QReportBuilder Webinars Thursday 1 pm CST

        Occam's Razor - KISS
        Normalize till it hurts - De-normalize till it works.
        Advice offered and questions asked in the spirit of learning how to fish is better than someone giving you a fish.
        When we triage a problem it is much easier to read sample systems than to read a mind.
        "Make it as simple as possible, but not simpler."
        Albert Einstein

        http://www.iadn.com/images/media/iadn_member.png

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