dBASE III and IV DBF format

You can import, convert, and export dBASE III and dBASE IV compatible DBF files.

Importing or converting DBF files

  • FileMaker Pro uses field names from the DBF file.
  • Text, number, date, and time field types convert from the DBF file.
  • FileMaker Pro imports dBASE memo field data if the memo file (<filename>.dbt) is in the same folder as the DBF file (<filename>.dbf).

Exporting DBF files

  • To export a DBF file from FileMaker Pro and import it into another application, your database must meet DBF criteria:
    • only ten characters per field name (spaces are converted to underscores, letters are converted to all uppercase)
    • no duplicate field names
    • a maximum of 128 fields
    • a maximum of 254 characters per field
    • a maximum of 4000 bytes per record
  • Only the first value in a repeating field is exported. For more information on exporting repeating field data, search the Knowledge Base.
  • You cannot select Apply current layout’s data formatting to exported data when you export using this format.

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