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ACT to A5

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    #1

    ACT to A5

    I have downloaded the oobie doobie import function, read through the info on other import functions and have been unable to grasp just what the procedure for moving data from ACT to A5 might be. Do I have to export from ACT to some intermediary system .txt - .csv, convert to Excel somehow and then import that? So far the system slams the digital door on me no matter what I try. I am confident that there is some way to do this as ACT is a relatively commerical product. Am I missing some right click function somewhere? I have been told that this can be done but I've yet to locate the process for doing it.

    Lanny
    Tags: None
    #2
    RE: ACT to A5

    Lanny,

    I am not familiar with ACT, so I can't give you step by step, but if ACT can export to a character seperated ascii file, A5 can import it. Your other choices are Exel and Lotus 1-2-3 and Symphony spreadsheets.

    The best way to do this is import the data from the ascii file or spreadsheet to a new table. After the data is in the new A5 table ... the skys the limit.

    Scott

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      #3
      RE: ACT to A5

      Lanny:

      I just visited the ACT home page and noted ACT imports DBASE [dbf] files. If you also have the option of saving your ACT database as a DBASE [dbf] file, you are essentially finished. Why? Because you can directly open DBASE files from Alpha Five

      Once you save your ACT file as a dbf, that means you won't have to work your way through any Export/Import procedures. So if that option is available, it cannot get any easier.

      Just a thought,
      Robert

      Comment

        #4
        RE: ACT to A5

        Hi Lanny,

        I have not used any of the latest versions of Act but the older ones were already Dbase files (I use Act 4). You therefore would not have to convert them. Make a copy of the Act file you want access to in an appropriate directory. In A5, just go to the table tab on the Control panel and right mouse click on an open area of the table box, select add table or set and then navigate to where you put the copy of this file. It will now be accessible via A5. You should be able to view it immediately in the default browse.

        You will probably have to create a new table and move just the fields you want to it. As I remember, Act had some unique key records that would not be of much use to you.

        Doug

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          #5
          RE: ACT to A5

          I don't know much about ACT! either, but I found the found the following quotation on an ACT! expert's site:

          "ACT! is the best selling contact management software package. It uses the CodeBase database format, created by Sequitter (sic) Codebase Symantec switched from the FoxPro DBF format used in ACT! 1.0 and 2.0 versions. The DBF format is widely known as a stable data format. The CodeBase format was chosen for its increased flexibility in terms of number of fields per record, and its reliability. "
          - Source: http://cicorp.com/act/lab/ACTMillion.htm

          I'm pretty sure Alpha Five also uses this Codebase DBF.

          I also found the following on ACT! Knowledge Base web site:

          Document ID: 2001626143542
          Document Title: What Files make up an ACT! Database?
          http://itdomino.act.com/act.nsf/docid/2001626143542

          Document ID: 20013594719
          Document Title: ACT! 2000 Database Files and their Definitions
          http://itdomino.act.com/act.nsf/docid/20013594719

          Thus, it appears to me that ACT! still uses DBF format.

          The first document indicates that there is only one file with a DBF extension (e.g. ACTdemo.dbf) :

          "Your ACT! Database consists of more than one file, from 14 to 26 files depending on which version of ACT! you are using. When you are in ACT! and you choose File - Open you see only one file for each database, the .DBF file (it may not have any extension visible), but there are other files working in the background for each database. These files all share the same name as the database, with different 3 letter file extensions. If you are moving or renaming your database it is important to work with the entire database (all the files, rather than just the DBF.)"

          From the second document:

          ".DBF (5,199 bytes) Contacts
          Contains contact information. Contact records are identified by a Unique ID. (Email addresses are not stored in this table.)"

          Activities, Sales, Transactions, Histories, Groups, etc are stored in separate files all ending with the extension .*DB

          This is a guess, but I suspect these .*DB files also use the DBF format.

          You could MAKE A COPY of these files from you ACT! database and rename .*DB extensions to .DBF and see if they open as a DBF. If so, you're in luck.

          You just need to add these DBF tables to your Alpha Five database.

          If you need info from related files - you'll still need to sort out the relationships and linking fields but the relationship chart at this link should help:
          http://www.cicorporation.com/access/convert/ACT/index.htm

          You might be able to find some more detail on what fields should be in which table from the following link:
          http://www.jltechnical.com/Exporter/Exporter%20for%20ACT!%20Getting%20Started.pdf

          It may be more difficult to convert their BLoB file (extension .BLB) - according to some firms specializing in ACT! data conversion - this is the tricky part. This file is the equivalent of memo fields which are stored in FPTs in A5.

          If all else fails - you could try out the "Exporter" utility described at:
          http://www.jltechnical.com/Exporter.htm

          Let us know how it works out.

          Bob

          Comment

            #6
            RE: ACT to A5

            I had a client using act and we had to export data using a text string and import into alpha as such

            You must know the data field names
            You must know the lenght of each field
            You must know the make up of each field character or number
            ..............You are ready to go.

            (This was two years ago, but I was able to do this, it just took a lot of time and effort, but I did it.) Jack

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