Access 2013 - Dbase (.dbf) Table Import option

Anonymous
2013-02-03T16:16:55+00:00

I need to be able to import read/write Dbase dbf tables - yes they are still around so why has the standard option that was in Access 2010 gone?

I have seen mention of ISAM, which is gobbledegook to me. So please a simple answer - what do I need to install or change and how do I do it?

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ScottGem 68,840 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2016-09-08T09:08:22+00:00

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-09-28T05:22:33+00:00

    Yep.  MS Access 2003 and 2010 both supported the *.dbf  dbase III file import.

    MS Access 2013 doesn't.

    Why Microsoft?   Why?

    And when are you going to FIX IT!!!

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-09-24T12:38:55+00:00

    You can try This Work Around

    Here are some general steps on bringing in your dbase (*.dbf) files into Access as a local Access table:

    1.     Open your existing Access (*.mdb) database file using Access 2003

    2.     Rename or delete the linked dbase table

    3.     Go to File > Get External Data > Import

    4.     Change the Files of Type to dbase III

    5.     Select your dbase file and click Import

    If you do not have Access 2000 or Access 2003 then you can try this as well

    1. We setup an ODBC DSN using the dbase driver and specified the directory as c:\dbase (ODBC Administrator can be found at c:\windows\syswow64\odbcad32.exe or the shortcut we placed on the desktop)
    2. In Excel 2010, Go to the Data tab > Get External Data - From Other Sources > From Microsoft Query
    3. Selected the DSN we created "Test dbase", clicked Ok
    4. Selected the dbase file to add and included all columns
    5. Clicked next through remaining options
    6. Clicked Ok to add the data to the current sheet in Excel

    From here you would save the Excel workbook and then import the file into Access by going to External Data > Import & Link Group > Excel

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-09-08T18:20:43+00:00

    I am also waiting for a positive answer from them

    Microcosme

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-08-01T00:01:28+00:00

    No need to save as csv, just save as Excel workbook, then import directly into Access. Alternatively, if you have an earlier version of Access, import the dbf tables then save the database as .accdb. You can then work on it in Access 2013, but a nuisance if you need to update or add new dbf tables.

     

    Nothing excuses Microsoft for not consulting their customers ( I see that they have now updated Windows 8 under customer pressure to make it look like Windows 7 for business/serious users) and the absurdity that Access 2013 can read dbf files, but with no direct import option.

     

    Keep sticking it to MS through this and other forums!  

    Try the new Microsoft .WTF format.  I hear that works....  :)

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