I have an old database file (named *.db) that refers to what could be a relational structure with entities that have names ending in .bt and ov. I'm calling them entities because I don't know whether the .db file unpacks to create a bunch of .bt and .ov files (probably key and data files?) or if these names belong to data structures that stay in the .db file.
Does anybody know what DBMS would have been used to read this file? I'd love to get at the info that it holds but finding the correct DBMS will save me days of decoding the file by hand.
I can see what I describe above by looking at the file with a binary editor - slow and cumbersome at best.
On Mon, 8 Feb 2010 16:25:21 -0800 (PST), Curious <ggl...@carpelibris.com> wrote:
>I have an old database file (named *.db) that refers to what could be >a relational structure with entities that have names ending in .bt and >ov. I'm calling them entities because I don't know whether the .db >file unpacks to create a bunch of .bt and .ov files (probably key and >data files?) or if these names belong to data structures that stay in >the .db file.
Steve Hayes <hayes...@telkomsa.net> writes: > On Mon, 8 Feb 2010 16:25:21 -0800 (PST), Curious <ggl...@carpelibris.com> > wrote:
> >I have an old database file (named *.db) that refers to what could be > >a relational structure with entities that have names ending in .bt and > >ov. I'm calling them entities because I don't know whether the .db > >file unpacks to create a bunch of .bt and .ov files (probably key and > >data files?) or if these names belong to data structures that stay in > >the .db file.
> Paradox data files use the .db ending.
So, traditionally, do many other database systems. Even non-relational ones like Berkeley DB.
The OP would be well advised to look to clues other than the filename suffix for what kind of data is stored in there.
-- \ “I am amazed, O Wall, that you have not collapsed and fallen, | `\ since you must bear the tedious stupidities of so many | _o__) scrawlers.” —anonymous graffiti, Pompeii, 79 CE | Ben Finney
Perhaps the SP (subsequent poster) could elaborate on what else to look for?
I am guessing that the db file is a container of the files or pseudo- files that make up the database. I can tell that the directory structure of this .db file has 26 byte entries, consisting of the file name (right-padded with nulls) and some other numerical data I haven't decoded yet. Each entry in the directory structure looks like a file name ending with either .bt or .ov. More than that on the .db file I don't know.
What can I do to unpack this .db file and extract its component pieces? I've tried zip, arc, rar,...
Looking past the directory structure in the .db file I see what looks like the data file pieces. The text is not encrypted or compressed and there are lots of non-printing data that are probably the index and addressing parts of the database.
If you tell me what to look for, I can look for it. If I can identify the DBMS, I'll be able to read the data. Or, I could write a script to extract it and put it into sql for further analysis.
Thanks for your help.
On Feb 9, 3:57 am, Ben Finney <bignose+hates-s...@benfinney.id.au> wrote:
> Steve Hayes <hayes...@telkomsa.net> writes: > > On Mon, 8 Feb 2010 16:25:21 -0800 (PST), Curious <ggl...@carpelibris.com> > > wrote:
> > >I have an old database file (named *.db) that refers to what could be > > >a relational structure with entities that have names ending in .bt and > > >ov. I'm calling them entities because I don't know whether the .db > > >file unpacks to create a bunch of .bt and .ov files (probably key and > > >data files?) or if these names belong to data structures that stay in > > >the .db file.
> > Paradox data files use the .db ending.
> So, traditionally, do many other database systems. Even non-relational > ones like Berkeley DB.
> The OP would be well advised to look to clues other than the filename > suffix for what kind of data is stored in there.
> -- > \ “I am amazed, O Wall, that you have not collapsed and fallen, | > `\ since you must bear the tedious stupidities of so many | > _o__) scrawlers.” —anonymous graffiti, Pompeii, 79 CE | > Ben Finney
On 2010-02-09, Curious <ggl...@carpelibris.com> wrote:
> I am guessing that the db file is a container of the files or pseudo- > files that make up the database. I can tell that the directory > structure of this .db file has 26 byte entries, consisting of the file > name (right-padded with nulls) and some other numerical data I haven't > decoded yet. Each entry in the directory structure looks like a file > name ending with either .bt or .ov. More than that on the .db file I > don't know.
> What can I do to unpack this .db file and extract its component > pieces? I've tried zip, arc, rar,...
padded filenames suggests DOS or CP/M
the binary data is probably the file's timestamp and length
have you tried nlib.
> If you tell me what to look for, I can look for it. If I can identify > the DBMS, I'll be able to read the data. Or, I could write a script to > extract it and put it into sql for further analysis.
> On Feb 9, 3:57 am, Ben Finney <bignose+hates-s...@benfinney.id.au> > wrote: >> Steve Hayes <hayes...@telkomsa.net> writes: >> > On Mon, 8 Feb 2010 16:25:21 -0800 (PST), Curious <ggl...@carpelibris.com> >> > wrote:
>> > >I have an old database file (named *.db) that refers to what could be >> > >a relational structure with entities that have names ending in .bt and >> > >ov. I'm calling them entities because I don't know whether the .db >> > >file unpacks to create a bunch of .bt and .ov files (probably key and >> > >data files?) or if these names belong to data structures that stay in >> > >the .db file.
>> > Paradox data files use the .db ending.
>> So, traditionally, do many other database systems. Even non-relational >> ones like Berkeley DB.
>> The OP would be well advised to look to clues other than the filename >> suffix for what kind of data is stored in there.
>> -- >> \ “I am amazed, O Wall, that you have not collapsed and fallen, | >> `\ since you must bear the tedious stupidities of so many | >> _o__) scrawlers.” —anonymous graffiti, Pompeii, 79 CE | >> Ben Finney
