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Open .pdb file

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  • 15-04-2015 8:06pm
    #1
    IamNotNumber
    Closed Accounts Posts: 450 ✭✭


    I have a legacy application that stores its data in .pdb files. I can open with notepad/excel but some data is invalid and its rather messy.I need to extract the data. I tried a few programs e.g Access and a few viewers that showed in google search but no luck.The program itself is 1991-1999 copyright.Any one have any ideas?


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    #2
    niallb
    Registered Users Posts: 2,732 ✭✭✭niallb


    Abiword is a free word processor that has a good PDB import plugin.
    Keep an eye out for it during the installation process.

    pdb was used by palm pilot for several types of document, and not all will be well supported,
    but it works pretty well for ordinary documents.

    What kind of application is it?


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    #3
    IamNotNumber
    Closed Accounts Posts: 450 ✭✭IamNotNumber


    niallb wrote: »
    Abiword is a free word processor that has a good PDB import plugin.
    Keep an eye out for it during the installation process.

    pdb was used by palm pilot for several types of document, and not all will be well supported,
    but it works pretty well for ordinary documents.

    What kind of application is it?

    Its an alarm server(work stuff-You enter names and locations) and I think this extension might mean 'program database'.I tried that abiword and I didnt see pdb during install so I did it twice and there was no mention of it but I do think this is not a Palm document anyways.

    I reckon they are propriety format ..some format they use themselves ..anyway looks like the old fashioned method of typing up the data was hoping to avoid ..cheers anyways niallb.


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    #4
    Talisman
    Registered Users Posts: 6,150 ✭✭✭Talisman


    The .pdb file extension does not tell you anything really. Over the years there have been several mainstream products that used that file extension, e.g. Visual Studio, Intuit Quicken, Sybase, Paradox, Pegasus.

    Given the age of the application, if it doesn't use a database driver then it's most likely that the file format is proprietary and you'll have to hack it yourself. Open the file in a Hex Editor and see if you can identify the record pattern. If you're using Windows, HxD is freeware.


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    #5
    IamNotNumber
    Closed Accounts Posts: 450 ✭✭IamNotNumber


    Cheers guys,had to move along with this so I am transcribing the data manually.Thanks for the replies!!


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