Format
dBASE Database
Summary
- Name
- dBASE Database
- Version
- IV
- Identifiers
-
- MIME: application/dbase
- PUID: x-fmt/10
- Format type
- Database
- Description
- dBase is a database management systems for microcomputers.The dBase system includes the core database engine, a query system, a forms engine, and a programming language that ties all of these components together. dBase's underlying file format, the .dbf file, is widely used in applications needing a simple format to store structured data.
- File extensions
-
dbf - Source
- Digital Preservation Department / The National Archives
- Developed by
- dBASE Inc.
- Supported by
- dBASE Inc.
Internal signatures
dBASE Database IV without memo
- Note
- Header sequence: Version number (04), Date of last update MMDD, First upper or lowercase character of field name, field type (C, D, F, L, N).
Byte sequences
- Min Frag Length
- Absolute from BOF
- Offset
- 0
- Max offset
- None
- Byte Sequence
04??[01:0C][01:1F]{28}([41:5A]|[61:7A]){10}(43|44|46|4C|4E)- Endianness
- None
dBASE Database IV SQL table files, no memo
- Note
- Header sequence: Version number, Date of last update MMDD, First upper or lowercase character of field name, field type (C, D, F, L, N).
Byte sequences
- Min Frag Length
- Absolute from BOF
- Offset
- 0
- Max offset
- None
- Byte Sequence
43??[01:0C][01:1F]{28}([41:5A]|[61:7A]){10}(43|44|46|4C|4E)- Endianness
- None
dBASE Database IV SQL system files, no memo
- Note
- Header sequence: Version number, Date of last update MMDD, First upper or lowercase character of field name, field type (C, D, F, L, N).
Byte sequences
- Min Frag Length
- Absolute from BOF
- Offset
- 0
- Max offset
- None
- Byte Sequence
63??[01:0C][01:1F]{28}([41:5A]|[61:7A]){10}(43|44|46|4C|4E)- Endianness
- None
dBASE Database IV SQL table files, with memo
- Note
- Header sequence: Version number, Date of last update MMDD, First upper or lowercase character of field name, field type (C, D, F, L, M, N).
Byte sequences
- Min Frag Length
- Absolute from BOF
- Offset
- 0
- Max offset
- None
- Byte Sequence
CB??[01:0C][01:1F]{28}([41:5A]|[61:7A]){10}(43|44|46|4C|4D|4E)- Endianness
- None
dBASE Database IV, with memo (7B byte)
- Note
- Header sequence: Version number, Date of last update MMDD, First upper or lowercase character of field name, field type (C, D, F, L, M, N).
Byte sequences
- Min Frag Length
- Absolute from BOF
- Offset
- 0
- Max offset
- None
- Byte Sequence
7B??[01:0C][01:1F]{28}([41:5A]|[61:7A]){10}(43|44|46|4C|4D|4E)- Endianness
- None
dBASE Database IV, with memo (8B byte)
- Note
- Header sequence: Version number, Date of last update MMDD, First upper or lowercase character of field name, field type (C, D, F, L, M, N).
Byte sequences
- Min Frag Length
- Absolute from BOF
- Offset
- 0
- Max offset
- None
- Byte Sequence
8B??[01:0C][01:1F]{28}([41:5A]|[61:7A]){10}(43|44|46|4C|4D|4E)- Endianness
- None
dBASE Database IV, with SQL
- Note
- Header sequence: Version number, Date of last update MMDD, First upper or lowercase character of field name, field type (C, D, F, L, M, N).
Byte sequences
- Min Frag Length
- Absolute from BOF
- Offset
- 0
- Max offset
- None
- Byte Sequence
8E??[01:0C][01:1F]{28}([41:5A]|[61:7A]){10}(43|44|46|4C|4D|4E)- Endianness
- None
Changelog
-
Updated in V112
- Release date
- 10 May 2023
dBASE Database IV: Added developer. Submitted by Digital Preservation Department, The National Archives (UK).
-
Updated in V83
- Release date
- 17 December 2015
dBASE Database IV: Added description.
-
Added in V55
- Release date
- 4 January 2012
dBASE Database IV: Signatures developed through PRONOM Research.