TITLE: MAKEDBF
PURPOSE: Create a dBASE III .DBF file without dBASE III
DATE: 9/15/87
AUTHOR: Thomas A. Lundin
Graphics Unlimited Inc.
3000 2nd St. N.
Minneapolis, MN 55411
(612) 588-7571

DESCRIPTION: MAKEDBF will create a dBASE III .DBF file and optionally import
an ASCII text file into the newly-created structure. The field
specifications for the structure can be entered from the
keyboard, or be taken from an ASCII file.

OPERATION: The command line invocation is:

makedbf input.txt dbf [spec.fil]

where: INPUT.TXT is the name of the optional ASCII text file
to be imported into the new structure. If the input
filename is given as "NUL", no importing will occur
after the structure is created.

DBF is the extension that will be given the new
structure. The full name of the structure is created
by taking the name of the input file and attaching a
.DBF extension to it. If the input filename is
"NUL", the new file will always be named
"BLANK.DBF". Of course, it can be renamed if you
wish.

SPEC.FIL is an optional ASCII file which contains
field specifications for the new structure.

The import file must be a fixed-length ASCII text file, each
record being terminated by a carriage return and line feed
combination. Short records will be blank-padded by the import
routine. Comma-delimited fields are not supported in this
version. There is NO VERIFICATION performed on the input data
as it is imported; you'll have to use dBASE III for that.
(Note: this import function is the equivalent of the dBASE III
command APPEND FROM TXTFILE SDF.)

The field specifications required by the program follow the
standard dBASE convention of field name, field type, field
length, and decimals, separated by commas. If a specification
file is not provided when the program is run, you will be
prompted to enter the field specs from the keyboard. The
program will automatically store these specifications in a file
named "FIELD.$$$", after it creates the new .DBF structure.
You can retain this file for later use, rename it, or delete it
if you wish. The field specs may be entered as upper or lower
case, and any spaces found within the specification lines are
ignored. The field types may be C (character), N (numeric), D
(date), and L (logical). Memo fields are not supported in this
version. Date fields are unconditionally assigned a length of
8, and logical fields are unconditionally assigned a length of
1.

Examples:

makedbf nul dbf

This will create a dBASE III database named BLANK.DBF
using field specifications entered from the keyboard.

makedbf data.asc dbf data.fld

This will create a dBASE III database named DATA.DBF using
the field specifications contained in "data.fld" and will
import records from the file "data.asc".

NOTES: The program must reside in a subdirectory defined in a PATH
command, or it must reside in the current subdirectory. (It
reads itself for certain runtime parameters.)

MACHINE: The program will run on any IBM PC/XT/AT series computer using
MS-DOS 2.x or higher, with a minimum of 128K RAM.

DISCLAIMER: This program is distributed as user-supported software. Use it,
copy it, give it to your friends. No warranties, either
expressed or implied, are given by the author or distributor of
the program, and the user accepts all risk of damage arising out
of the application and use of the program.

BEG: If you find this program to be of value, contributions in any
amount ($5 suggested) will be gratefully accepted. All
contributors who donate $10 or more will be mailed an expanded
version of MAKEDBF when it becomes available which supports
memo fields and importing of comma-delimited data files.

Send comments/bug reports/contributions to:


Thomas A. Lundin
Graphics Unlimited, Inc.
3000 Second Street North
Minneapolis, MN 55411
(612) 588-7571


You can also reach me at my BBS home base:

PC-ROCKLAND BBS
If you can't find a program here,
it probably doesn't exist!
(914) 353-2156
(Leave msg. for "Tom Lundin")

Thank you for using MAKEDBF.