open DAT files

[Luis939]

I have a CD that has a database that is in .DAT format, if i open it in access it says not recognizable, is there anyway i can convert it to a recognizable format, thanks??

 

[jrbarnett]

The .DAT extension is used by a number of applications, both off the shelf and bespoke systems. If you know the application that was used to create it perhaps we can suggest a way of converting the data.
Just copying the file to your hard disk and renaming it with a .MDB extension is unlikely to let Access read it.

John

 

[Luis939]

True, unfortunately i have no idea what the application was, i just know that it must have been some DBMS app since all i know is that the CD contains over 1million records. I can open it easily in Excel but of course Excel isnt big enough, i think i can open it in word but im not sure.

 

[jrbarnett]

If you can open it in excel, does it look as if they are comma or tab separated records, eg:

"field 1", "field 2"
value1, "value 2"

?

If so, try renaming the extension to .CSV and then see if you can use File -> Get Extenal Data -> Import and choose the Text option.

John

 

[Luis939]

Yea, its all clumped up together, but everything is all together under about a dozen columns, so i can tell what the fields mean, but there is just one sheet in Excel, i will try your suggestion, thanks

 

[Luis939]

i think im confused, did you want me to open it in Excel and save that as .CSV, because the records are way more than excel can handle, but does that mean that i can still use excel?

 

[Luis939]

well i was able to import the .csv excel file into access but it said i have numerous errors hmmm?

 

[LeeJames75]

Sounds like you might have a Mainframe/Pc based datafile that is from a COBOL program or a DB4 database.

Because, when I was using the above Programming tools back in the early 90's at College, all the files we created had .DAT extentions.

So if you know anyone who has a little COBOL program that can view files or your company has locked up in the archives - DB4, then you might be in with a chance of viewing that data.

Regards
Lee James
Data Analyst