Format

dBASE Database

Summary

Name: dBASE Database
Version: II
Identifiers: PUID: x-fmt/8
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.
Format encoding: Text
File extensions: dbf
Submitted by: Digital Preservation Department / The National Archives
Developed by: dBASE Inc.
Supported by: dBASE Inc.

Description: Version number (02), date last updated ((month (1-12), day (1-31), year), Maximum length of each record =1000, first character of field name is upper or lowercase ASCII letter (41-5A) or (61-7A), Field Type (C, N or L)
Provenance: Signature identified by Georgia Tech Research Institute (Candidate Internal Signatures for File Formats in PRONOM Registry; 05/06/2010). Additional enhancement of signature carried out by The National Archives Digital Preservation Dept.

Min Frag Length: Absolute from BOF
Offset: 0
Max offset: None
Byte Sequence: 02{2}[01:1C][01:1F]????[00:03]([41:5A]|[61:7A]){10}(43|4E|4C)
Endianness: Little-endian

Description: Version number (02), date last updated MMDDYY all zero, Maximum length of each record =1000, first character of field name is upper or lowercase ASCII letter (41-5A) or (61-7A), Field Type (C, N or L)
Provenance: Signature identified by Georgia Tech Research Institute (Candidate Internal Signatures for File Formats in PRONOM Registry; 05/06/2010). Additional enhancement of signature carried out by The National Archives Digital Preservation Dept.