I am still happily using a dos program for my brick and mortar cash
register. It is written in xbase (all the database files are saved
with .dbf .dbt .ndx .ntx and .mem extensions). I want to populate a
web store with it's inventory data. I can drag and drop the data into
excel and "see" the data and the field names. Excel thinks it's a
dbase iv file. I am thinking about using OSCommerce for my web store
(it's written in php using a mysql database).

Give me working step by step instructions that I can test on my server
(win2000, apache) for setting up two way connections (read and Write)
between the old xbase inventory files and a web page using:

mysql, php, perl, visual basic, ms access, fox pro, odbc, aodbc,

 (and if possible working examples).

HI.

PHP have DBF support,  but i recommend You to convert
your old database to mySQL tables  in order to 
fastest and simplest working with data.

Here is the php manual with examples on DBF connection >>

http://www.php.net/manual/en/ref.dbase.php

regards.

Thank you for your quick response.

I have used this method and can only read the data. It will read the
field names, but does not understand the field types (text, num,
width, etc...).

ODBC might do it.  It is like the universal language to speak b/t databases

if you can get it into excel then save as csv(comma separated values)
and upload to mysql(mysql allows direct upload of csv files)

OK I'm "chomping' at the bit" for any kind of answer for a working two
way connection.

I have a php/mysql programmer than can code like the wind. He can read
the database into the oscommerce mysql database using php (It all
comes in as text but I don't care). But we have to update it (reload
from xbase to mysql) every time I make a change to the old dos
inventory and need it to show up in oscommerce.

So... show me at least one (but the more the merrier) twoway
connection(s) for  my old xbase inventory data.

Hi!

If you could provide me of a way to download samples of your database, I would
be glad to create a perl application, that does what you want.

-Trym Skaar