How to open the DBF file in Excel

One of the most popular storage formats of structured data is DBF. This format is distinguished by universality, that is, it is supported by many DBMS systems and other programs. It is used not only as a data storage element, but also as a means for exchanging them between applications. Therefore, the question of opening files with this extension in the Excel table processor becomes quite relevant.

Ways to open DBF files in Excel

You should know that there are several modifications in the DBF format:

• DBASE II;
• DBASE III;
• DBASE IV;
• FoxPro et al.

The type of document also affects the correctness of its opening programs. But it should be noted that Excel supports correct operation with almost all types of DBF files.

It should be said that in most cases Excel copes with the opening of this format quite successfully, that is, it opens up this document just as this program would open, for example, its "native" format XLS. But to save files in DBF format with standard tools, Excel stopped after Excel 2007 version. However, this is the topic for a separate lesson.

Lesson: How to Translate Excel in DBF

Method 1: Start through the window opening window

One of the easiest and intuitive options for opening documents with the DBF extension in Excel is to start them through the window opening window.

1. Run the Excel program and go to the File tab.



2. After entering the above tab, click on the "Open" item in the menu located on the left side of the window.



3. The standard document opening window opens. We move to that directory on the hard disk or shift carrier, where the document is located to open. At the right side of the window in the File Extensions, set the switch to the "DBASE (* .dbf) files" or "All files (*. *)". This is a very important point. Many users cannot open the file simply because they do not fulfill this requirement and the element with the specified expansion they are not visible. After that, DBF documents must be displayed in the window if they are present in this catalog. We allocate the document that you want to run, and click on the "Open" button in the lower right corner of the window.



4. After the last action, the chosen DBF document will be launched in the Excel program on the sheet.

Method 2: Double-click Opening

Also a popular way to open documents is the launch by double-clicking with the left mouse button along the corresponding file. But the fact is that by default, if specifically not to prescribe in the system settings, the Excel program is not associated with the DBF extension. Therefore, without additional manipulations, this way does not work out. Let's see how it can be done.

1. So, we make a double click of the left mouse button along the DBF format file, which we wish to open.



2. If on this computer in the system settings, the DBF format is not associated with any program, the window will start, which will not be reported that the file cannot be opened. It will offer options for action:
   • Search for conformity on the Internet;
   • Select the program from the list of installed programs.

   Since it is understood that the Microsoft Excel tabular processor is already installed, we rearrange the switch to the second position and click on the "OK" key at the bottom of the window.

   

   If this extension is already associated with another program, but we want to run it in Excel, then we do somewhat differently. Click on the name of the document right-click. The context menu is launched. Select the position "Open with help" in it. Another list opens. If there is a "Microsoft Excel" name, then click on it, if you do not find such a name, we go through the item "Select the program ...".

   

   There is another option. Click on the name of the document right-click. In the list that opens after the last action, select the position "Properties".

   

   In the running "Properties" window, we move to the "General" tab, if the launch occurred in some other tab. Near the application parameter, click on the "Edit ..." button.



3. When you select any of the three options, the File opening window is started. Again, if in the list of recommended programs at the top of the window there is a "Microsoft Excel" name, then click on it, and in the opposite case we click on the "Overview ..." button at the bottom of the window.



4. In the event of the last action in the program location directory, the "Open with the help of ..." window opens on the computer. It needs to go to the folder that contains the Excel program launch file. The exact address of the path to this folder depends on the Excel version, which you have installed, or rather from the version of the Microsoft Office package. The common path pattern will look like this:

   C: \ Program Files \ Microsoft Office \ Office #

   Instead of the "#" symbol, you need to substitute the version number of your office product. So for Excel 2010 it will be the number "14", and the exact path to the folder will look like this:

   C: \ Program Files \ Microsoft Office \ Office14

   For Excel 2007, the number will be "12", for Excel 2013 - "15", for Excel 2016 - "16".

   So, we move to the above directory and looking for a file with the name "Excel.exe". If you do not run the extension display in the system, its name will look just like "Excel". We allocate this name and click on the "Open" button.



5. After that, we automatically be transferred again to the program selection window. This time the name "Microsoft Office" will definitely be displayed here. If the user wants this application to always open DBF documents by the DBF dual click on them, then you need to make sure that the "Use the selected program for all files of this type" is a check mark. If you are planning only a single open DBF document in Excel, and then you are going to open this type of files in another program, then, on the contrary, this check mark should be removed. After all the specified settings are made, click on the "OK" button.



6. After that, the DBF document will be run in the Excel program, and if the user set a tick in the appropriate place in the program selection window, now the files of this extension will open in Excel automatically after double clicking on them with the left mouse button.

As you can see, open DBF files in Excel is quite simple. But, unfortunately, many novice users are confused and do not know how to do it. For example, they do not guess to set the appropriate format in the opening window of the document through the EXEL interface. More difficult for some users is the opening of DBF documents by double-clicking the left mouse button, as for this you need to change some system settings through the program selection window.