The dBase Format (DBF) Reader/Writer allows FME to read data allows FME to read data from dBASE v3, v4, and VisualFox Pro compatible files.
New for FME 2019+: We're rebuilding FME's dBase Reader/Writer. Changes include a new development framework and a more robust format platform. Overall, users will notice improved reader performance and increased speed.
Note: Any single DBF file can have a maximum file size of 2 GB, a limit imposed by the dBase III specification. Files larger than 2 GB may be readable, but not officially supported.
Technology Preview
Note: This format is still under active development, so please expect changes to the current behavior. We do not recommend using this format in production environments.
Overview
A DBF file defines a single table within a database. The feature attribution of a FME feature are the columns and values of the DBF database table. dBASE is a non-spatial format, and has no geometry associated with its records.
DBF files store only feature attribution. The extension is added to the basename of the DBF file.
Some DBF files use a companion .dbt file which stores longer text fields. FME will read them if the DBF includes them and may write them if features contain a very wide text attribute.
Reader Overview
The DBF reader extracts data from the file, producing one feature per non-deleted record in the DBF file. When the records have been exhausted, the reader is closed.
The reader supports dBASE III, dBASE IV, and FoxPro compatible files.