We are purchasing new specialized software for our publishing company.
 It is to replace custom software.  The new vendors have asked the
following question.  The previous supplier has proposed an (in my
opinion) unconscionably high price to provide the info (presumably,
knowing we are moving away, and 'need' the information quite
urgently).  (The new vendor, meanwhile, charges a very high hourly
rate for technical advice and support.) Can you provide us with either
an inexpensive source for information on answewring the following
question or, alternatively, show us in a step-by-step way what to do. 
We are NOT computer technical experts.  Here is the qeustion we need
solved:

"For the data conversion evaluation, can you provide us with an
electronic customer file and the open invocies file?  Please attach a
file layout structure as well.  We require an ASCII text file with
records that have fixed length fields, no field delimiters.  The
record delimiter should be a carriage return.

FYI, the software we are used is built on a microsoft access platform.

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Request for Question Clarification by webadept-ga on 22 Jun 2002 23:09 PDT

Hi, Man this kind of question is frustrating for us researchers who
are database guys. I'm restricted from sending you personal
information so I might get a hold of you, or even have you send me the
database. Hence the frustration.

This type of answer should take someone who knows databases about 5-10
minutes to give the proper output file(s).

Read the comments below, the top one is important. If this guy has
been paid to give you a program, then you own it, and that database
schema should be accessible to you. The advice in that post is good,
read it. So are the rest of them. bentfork-ga for instance has given
good step by step instructions if you know the database name. If it
asks for a password, see my following comments regarding the lawyer,
if the creator is not willing to give this too you.

It might be possible for me to help you in this forum state, but we'll
try a few things before I post into the answer area. I'll check back
here a few time Sunday and Monday to see if you have replied.

First, go to the computer that the program runs on and open Access. I
need to know what version of that program you are using. When Access
starts, it should ask you which database you want to use. There will
be a list at the bottom of the dialog box which shows the databases on
the computer Access knows about. If you know the database name, great.
If not, then send me a listing of what that dialog box says, and I'll
try to guess myself. I know the names of all the demo databases, so
I'll try to figure it out by elimination.

If you can get that far, then we might be able to help you. If you
can't, then your next step, and you should probably do it anyway, is
to contact a lawyer. A letter from a lawyer delivered to this guy may
soften his attitude quickly. Like I stated before this is a 5-10
minute job. Access will export your file in the format described by
the new company with no "extra" work needed. He could tell you how to
do this over the phone.

Good luck to you and I'll be looking for your Clarification post. 

webadept-ga

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Clarification of Question by marbuck-ga on 23 Jun 2002 00:56 PDT

thank you for your response.  Unfortunately, I cannot say exactly when
I will be able to get back to the computer.  I may be in the office
for a while sometime during the day Sunday June 23, but must be away
traveling on business on June 24 so the earliest can be sure to be
able to check this further is June 25.  Obviously, it is frustrating
(but understandable) that the service rules here do not allow any form
of direct one-on-one communication.  However, if possible I will try
to find a way to compensate the researcher(s) who have contributed
insights herebut rightfully do not claim to have the 'answer'.

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Request for Question Clarification by webadept-ga on 23 Jun 2002 10:40 PDT

There are a lot more Researchers on here than me, that know how to get
this working for you. So, don't worry about the time table working
with my schedule. One of us will help you.

Good Luck

webadept-ga

If your old system was a custom job, I'd check your original contract.
Since you paid to have that data structure created, I'd think you own
it, in the sense that your old company ought to tell you how it's put
together for free. If you have a house built, the contractor can't
refuse to tell you what the walls are made of. (Unless it says
somewhere in your original contract that you are leasing the
information, and didn't buy it. In that case, they do own it.)

Anyway, just my $1.00/50
googlebrain-ga

We own the information, in that it is 'ours', but we don't have any
documentation.  The people who provided the software are certainly
willing to release it to us -- if we pay their per diem for what I
think is a few minutes work!

Sounds a bit like "documentation extortion" to me. I write custom
software, and, yes it wouldn't take much time to present you with the
information you need. Sounds like they want one last bill out of you.

You should be able to find someone locally, that could take a look at
you files and programs tell you the file structure.

There are many of us here that could do this for you, but we would
need to look at your files and programs to determine the structure and
field location.

Unfortunately, we do not have this ability, at this time, to
accomplish this.

There are a number of database migration utilities available to
convert files from one database format to another. The files in
question *should* be able to be exported through Access as an ASCII
file with the parameters as specified, but if not, a utility should be
able to handle the job for you. I've located one inexpensive product
that should work well with Access database files. From your current
vendor, you will need to obtain the exact FILENAMES for the requested
samples. I would also recommend contacting Inspirer Systems directly
to verify suitability.

Inspirer Systems
http://www.ispirer.com/products/

~larre-ga

This is rather easy to do.  I suggest that you make a back up of your
database first then start playing around.

If you follow my instructions you will end up with two text files that
will have all of the information that you require.

I am assuming that you have Access2000, I believe access97 is similar
but I dont have it on this machine.

1]  Open up MSAccess.
2]  Open your database file (something.mdb)
3]  you should see a window with a bunch of tabs one of which is
called 'tables'.  Click that one.

4]  This is the hard part.  Looking at your tables determin which
table is the customer table (it is normally called `customer') and the
invoice table (probably called `invoice')

Assuming you found your two tables this is how you EXPORT the data in
FIXED LENGTH FIELDS.

1] Right click on the table you want to export (in this case lets use
Customer)
2] A little menu should pop up, select and click on "SaveAs/Export"
3] A "Save As..." box will popup, select "To an External File or
Database, and click OK.
4] A "Save Table`tablename`" box will popup.  On the bottom it says
"Save as Type" select that and click on "Text Files
(*.txt;*.cvs;*.tab;*.asc)"
5] Make sure you are saving it in a location you can easily find. (I
normally save to the desktop)Click Export.
6] ANOTHER Box pops up.  This one called "Export Text Wizard".  Select
"Fixed Widths"
7] Click on Finish.

You are done.  Now repeat the last 7 steps for each Table you need to
Export.

Now, if I could only get enough respect to get paid for these
answers... ;)

bentfork-ga

BTW- If the vendor that you are switching to cannot guide you through
this provess over the phone I would start second guessing the skills
of the new company.