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Copy and Paste Changes Field Data

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    #1

    Copy and Paste Changes Field Data

    I copied the dbf file in table1, database1 to table1, database2. When database2 was opened, the data in the first two fields/columns, was ok but the data in the other fields/columns changed fields or did the field/column names change places? IOW, the date field now has the last name data and a single digit field is now a date field. I deleted the dbf file in database2 prior to the paste and tried it 3 times, all with the same result. I also tried a database compact but that had no effect.

    I copied and pasted the entire table and that worked. However, I should be able to copy and paste only the file which contains the data, the dbf file, right? In this case, there were no changes to the table but I needed to update the data file portion of the table. Hence, I only copied / pasted the dbf file. Had I made changes to the table, I could not copy the entire table, only the data file (dbf). As long as the field structures did not change, it should work, should it not?
    TYVM :) kenn

    Knowing what you can achieve will not become reality until you imagine and explore.
    Tags: None
    #2
    Re: Copy and Paste Changes Field Data

    If you have identical tables in two different databases you should be able to copy only the dbf (and the cdx and the fpt, if they are present) from one database to the other. If you restructure one of the tables to move a field up or down the order as seen in the restructure genie, they are no longer identical. That sounds like what you are describing.
    There can be only one.

    Comment

      #3
      Re: Copy and Paste Changes Field Data

      Ken,

      Another way this could get scrambled is if any of the fieldnames in your table are longer than 10 characters. Alpha stores the "rest" of long fieldnames in the table dictionaries. When you copy only the DBF you're omitting the dictionaries.

      Comment

        #4
        Re: Copy and Paste Changes Field Data

        And of course the safest way to do the data swap would probably be to empty one table and append from the other.
        There can be only one.

        Comment

          #5
          Re: Copy and Paste Changes Field Data

          Originally posted by Stan Mathews View Post
          If you have identical tables in two different databases you should be able to copy only the dbf (and the cdx and the fpt, if they are present) from one database to the other. If you restructure one of the tables to move a field up or down the order as seen in the restructure genie, they are no longer identical. That sounds like what you are describing.
          That could be, it's been quite awhile. I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, Stan.
          TYVM :) kenn

          Knowing what you can achieve will not become reality until you imagine and explore.

          Comment

            #6
            Re: Copy and Paste Changes Field Data

            Originally posted by Tom Cone Jr View Post
            Ken,

            Another way this could get scrambled is if any of the fieldnames in your table are longer than 10 characters. Alpha stores the "rest" of long fieldnames in the table dictionaries. When you copy only the DBF you're omitting the dictionaries.
            Hi Tom,

            In this case, the field names are shorter than 10. Is it OK to omit the dictionaries or should those files be copied as well?
            TYVM :) kenn

            Knowing what you can achieve will not become reality until you imagine and explore.

            Comment

              #7
              Re: Copy and Paste Changes Field Data

              Hi, Kenn.

              Depends entirely on what you want. The dictionaries contain the long fieldnames, and also the layouts based on the table, and the field rules for the table. Are you familiar with the "File Types" page in Alpha's help system? Refer there to see what's stored where in an Alpha database.

              Comment

                #8
                Re: Copy and Paste Changes Field Data

                Originally posted by Tom Cone Jr View Post
                Hi, Kenn.

                Depends entirely on what you want. The dictionaries contain the long fieldnames, and also the layouts based on the table, and the field rules for the table. Are you familiar with the "File Types" page in Alpha's help system? Refer there to see what's stored where in an Alpha database.
                Yes, I've read them several times and my take on it is if I want only the data, I only need to copy the dbf file. I didn't see anything about needing to copy any other files if all that's needed is the data.

                This is the confusing part of the dbf file (underlined): "Contains the table's data, one or more records, each containing one or more fields, and the definition of the table's structure." How can the "data" itself, be the definition of the table's structure? Are not the other file types part of the table's structure?

                I guess I give this stuff too much thought but when I don't, I end up missing something.
                Last edited by forskare; 06-27-2011, 05:26 PM.
                TYVM :) kenn

                Knowing what you can achieve will not become reality until you imagine and explore.

                Comment

                  #9
                  Re: Copy and Paste Changes Field Data

                  Try reading it this way.

                  The dbf file type Contains the table's data, one or more records, each containing one or more fields, and the dbf file contains the definition of the table's structure.
                  There can be only one.

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Re: Copy and Paste Changes Field Data

                    Kenn,

                    the classic DBF structure is well documented. It consists of a header section that contains information about the table, followed by the fixed width records. Google DBF structure for details.

                    Alpha has "extended" the classic DBF structure to accommodate new data types and long fieldnames. As mentioned, the long fieldnames get stored in the dictionaries.

                    Not sure how I can help further. If your fieldnames were short, it's likely Stan has guessed the cause of your troubles.

                    Comment

                      #11
                      Re: Copy and Paste Changes Field Data

                      Hey, Tom,

                      I Googled DBF structure for the details and found it quite interesting, to say the least. I now have a much better understanding of the dbf file structure. Thanks to Stan as well.
                      Last edited by forskare; 06-27-2011, 10:54 PM.
                      TYVM :) kenn

                      Knowing what you can achieve will not become reality until you imagine and explore.

                      Comment

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