Python modules for accessing .dbf (xBase) files

Description

dbfpy is a python-only module for reading and writing DBF-files. It was created by Jeff Kunce and then modified by Hans Fiby.

dbfpy module code has been placed in public domain.

What is dbfpy?

dbfpy can read and write simple DBF-files. The DBF-format was developed about 30 years ago and was used by a number of simple database applications (dBase, Foxpro, Clipper, ...). The basic datatypes numbers, short text, and dates are available. Many different extensions have been used; dbfpy can read and write only simple DBF-files.

What is it for?

• The most important use is reading old DBF-files created by other programs.
• DBF-files can be imported by most tabular data handling programs like Excel, Access, etc. If you want to generate tabular data for import into these programs from a python-script dbfpy would be an option.
• Some rather recent programs still use dbf for data storage. The GIS-application ArcView is one of them.

Do not use dbfpy ...

... if you need to store data for internal use in a python program. dbfpy does not provide any of the features of a modern database application. Use a database system like PostgreSQL, Oracle or MySQL for everyday data storage. Take SQLite if you want to go lightweight.

Example

dbfpy version 2.0.0

import datetime
from mx import DateTime
from dbfpy import dbf

## create empty DBF, set fields

db = dbf.Dbf("test.dbf", new=True)
db.addField(
    ("NAME", "C", 15),
    ("SURNAME", "C", 25),
    ("INITIALS", "C", 10),
    ("BIRTHDATE", "D"),
)
print db
print

## fill DBF with some records

for name, surname, initials, birthdate in (
    ("John", "Miller", "JM", (1980, 1, 2)),
    ("Andy", "Larkin", "AL", datetime.date(1981, 2, 3)),
    ("Bill", "Clinth", "", DateTime.Date(1982, 3, 4)),
    ("Bobb", "McNail", "", "19830405"),
):
    rec = db.newRecord()
    rec["NAME"] = name
    rec["SURNAME"] = surname
    rec["INITIALS"] = initials
    rec["BIRTHDATE"] = birthdate
    rec.store()
db.close()

## read DBF and print records

db = dbf.Dbf("test.dbf")
for rec in db:
    print rec
print

## change record

rec = db[2]
rec["INITIALS"] = "BC"
rec.store()
del rec

print db[2]


# vim: set et sts=4 sw=4 :

dbfpy version 1.0.0

demo1() is a simple python function that lists the content of the DBF-file county.dbf.

from dbf import *

def demo1():
    dbf1 = Dbf()
    dbf1.openFile('county.dbf', readOnly=1)

    dbf1.reportOn()
    print 'sample records:'
    for i1 in range(min(3,len(dbf1))):
        rec = dbf1[i1]
        for fldName in dbf1.fieldNames():
            print '%s:\t %s'%(fldName, rec[fldName])
        print
    dbf1.close()

demo2() creates a file tst.dbf and appends some records to it.

from dbf import *

def demo2():
    dbfn=dbf_new()
   
    dbfn.add_field("name",'C',80)
    dbfn.add_field("price",'N',10,2)
    dbfn.add_field("date",'D',8)
    dbfn.write("tst.dbf")
    # test new dbf
    print "*** created tst.dbf: ***"
    dbft = Dbf()
    dbft.openFile('tst.dbf', readOnly=0)
    dbft.reportOn()
   
    # add a record
    rec=DbfRecord(dbft)
    rec['name']='something'
    rec['price']=10.5
    rec['date']=(2000,1,12)
    rec.store()
    # add another record
    rec=DbfRecord(dbft)
    rec['name']='foo and bar'
   
    rec['price']=12234
    rec['date']=(1992,7,15)
    rec.store()
    dbft.close()