Bring Back DBF! The GIS Industry uses it!

[Jobhater]

Microsoft: "Historically Excel has supported many different data formats. We
have determined that a number of these older formats are seldom, if ever
used. We are removing support for some file types to allow us to devote more
of our efforts towards the file formats that are being used."

DBF 4 (dBASE IV) is one of these "older formats" that was removed. I guess
Microsoft did not realize that a whole industry uses these from time to time.
There are some alternative programs that may be used, however, there is NO
WAY possible to get those programs installed on my workstation.

Its very simple. Just do a search for "GIS DBF Excel 2007" or something
similar, and you will find calls for help. Many people use DBF and I would
constantly use Excel to edit the DBF. There is no other program that can
easily edit them on my workstation, and I know its the same with MANY others.
Microsoft needs to bring back the DBF format in a Service Pack, if its
possible.

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http://www.microsoft.com/office/com...4-00f9382822c3&dg=microsoft.public.excel.misc

 

[Bob I]

Access still understands it.

 

[Bill Sharpe]

Access still understands it.

So does OpenOffice.org Calc.

Bill

 

[Jobhater]

Can't use OpenOffice.org on my computer.

Access opens it, but it was SOOO much easier in Excel. Didn't have to do
many steps, other than change the File Save As type.

 

[Bruce Sinclair]

Can't use OpenOffice.org on my computer.

Really ? Why not ?
The only reason I can think of is 'our IT guys won't let me'. If that's the
case and you need to use the data as you suggest, then you need to talk to
them.

 

[Whatever]

YES THIS IS TRUE - and the solutions ESRI provides have one problem - they
don't work