Excel: FoxBASE DBF Files Not Visible in File Open Dialog Box

 Last reviewed: November 30, 1994
Article ID: Q75826
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 2.2, 3.0, 4.0

SUMMARY

After saving a document from FoxBASE on the Macintosh as a DBF file, Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh will not show the file in the Open dialog box and thus will not be able to open it.

The file can be opened by using a macro. For example, to open a FoxBASE file named PHONENUMBERS.DBF, enter the following on a new macro sheet in cells A1 and A2: 

   =OPEN("PhoneNumbers.dbf")
   =RETURN()
To run the macro, do the following:

  1. Select cell A1.

  2. From the Macro menu, choose Run.

  3. Choose the OK button.

Once the file is opened, save it in Microsoft Excel and it will then be listed in the Open dialog box.

Another method to open the file is to place it in the Excel Startup folder. This method will cause the file to open every time Microsoft Excel is launched.

A resource-editing utility, such as DiskTop, SUM Utilities, or ResEdit, can be used to change the file type to "TEXT." Doing this allows Microsoft Excel to list the file in its Open dialog box and thus open the file.

MORE INFORMATION

Because Microsoft Excel recognizes specific file types, it is occasionally unable to read a file saved by another application in a file format common both to Microsoft Excel and that application. In this case, FoxBASE writes out a file in the DBF file format with a file type of "F+DB." Because Microsoft Excel expects to see the file type of "TEXT" associated with the DBF format, it will not display the FoxBASE-saved file in the File Open dialog box.

For more information on the file and creator types Microsoft Excel can recognize, query on the following words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 

   APPL and XCEL

KBCategory: kbusage
KBSubcategory:

Additional reference words: 2.20 3.00 4.00

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Last reviewed: November 30, 1994
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