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Product: LABELVIEW, CODESOFT
Version: All Versions

dBase (.DBF) databases do not have a built-in connection wizard in LABELVIEW and CODESOFT. To use a dBase database as a data source, an OLE DB connection must be created manually.

Important: When creating the connection, you must specify the folder containing the .DBF file, not the .DBF file itself.

Create a dBase OLE DB Connection

1. Navigate to Tools > Administrator OLE DB.

2. Click New to create a new connection.

3. On the Provider tab, select Microsoft Jet 4.0 OLE DB Provider, then click Next.

4. On the Connection tab, manually enter the path to the folder that contains the dBase (.DBF) file.

Important: Do not use the Browse button. Enter the folder path manually and specify the directory containing the .DBF file, not the database file itself.
5. Select the All tab. Highlight Extended Properties and click Edit Value.

6. Enter dBase IV in the Property Value field and click OK.

7. Enter a descriptive name for the connection and click OK.

8. Verify that the connection appears in the Connections list and click OK.

Connect the dBase Database to a Label

9. Open the Data Sources panel and select Create/Edit Query.

10. From the Select a data source drop-down list, choose the dBase OLE DB connection you created.

11. Select the table that contains the records you want the label to use.

12. Select the fields you want available to the label and click OK.

Verify the Connection

After the query is created, the dBase database should appear in the Data Sources panel and within the Data Source tree.

You can now use the database fields as variables on your label design.

Troubleshooting

  • Verify that the folder path points to the directory containing the .DBF file.
  • Ensure Microsoft Jet 4.0 OLE DB Provider is selected when creating the connection.
  • Verify that the Extended Properties value is set to dBase IV.
  • Confirm the user has permission to access the folder containing the database.
  • If the database does not appear in the table list, recreate the connection and verify the folder path was entered correctly.

Summary

To connect a dBase (.DBF) database in LABELVIEW or CODESOFT, create a manual OLE DB connection using the Microsoft Jet 4.0 OLE DB Provider, configure the dBase IV extended property, and then select the connection from the Data Sources query editor. Once connected, database fields become available for use as variables on label designs.

Keywords: OLE to dBASE, .dbf database, .dbf database connection, labelview .dbf connection, codesoft .dbf connection, legacy .dbf file