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    Data Base Management

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    database management view dbfs
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    • S
      scottalanmiller
      last edited by

      Keep in mine that database = "place to store and retrieve structured data". That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. So knowing that something is "a database" only tells you that the data is not completely unstructured, nothing else. That's not much to go on.

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      • T
        travisdh1
        last edited by

        Let's start at the beginning. What is the PoS software in use? From that we should be able to track down what the actual database is.

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        • W
          WrCombs @travisdh1
          last edited by

          @travisdh1 said in Data Base Management:

          Let's start at the beginning. What is the PoS software in use? From that we should be able to track down what the actual database is.

          I work with Aloha

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          • R
            Reid Cooper @WrCombs
            last edited by

            @WrCombs said in Data Base Management:

            @travisdh1 said in Data Base Management:

            Let's start at the beginning. What is the PoS software in use? From that we should be able to track down what the actual database is.

            I work with Aloha

            http://www.abacuspos.com/dbf_file_structure.html

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            • W
              WrCombs @Reid Cooper
              last edited by

              @Reid-Cooper said in Data Base Management:

              @WrCombs said in Data Base Management:

              @travisdh1 said in Data Base Management:

              Let's start at the beginning. What is the PoS software in use? From that we should be able to track down what the actual database is.

              I work with Aloha

              http://www.abacuspos.com/dbf_file_structure.html

              yep... I knew that part...
              Which tool do you you to **VIEW** .dbf files for accuracy/ troubleshooting.

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              • R
                Reid Cooper @WrCombs
                last edited by

                @WrCombs said in Data Base Management:

                @Reid-Cooper said in Data Base Management:

                @WrCombs said in Data Base Management:

                @travisdh1 said in Data Base Management:

                Let's start at the beginning. What is the PoS software in use? From that we should be able to track down what the actual database is.

                I work with Aloha

                http://www.abacuspos.com/dbf_file_structure.html

                yep... I knew that part...
                Which tool do you you to **VIEW** .dbf files for accuracy/ troubleshooting.

                None, because that's not a standard structure for any database tools.

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                • D
                  DustinB3403
                  last edited by

                  Looks like an Oracle database from what I can find.

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                  • R
                    Reid Cooper
                    last edited by

                    https://lonetreerob.wordpress.com/2012/06/26/the-technical-side-of-aloha-pos-integration/

                    Finally, from an Aloha interface perspective, I need to discuss the Aloha database file system. Instead of using a single large database file to store all of its configuration information, the developers of Aloha elected to put most of this information in Dbase format files (DBFs). You can read these files with Excel and you can read these files programmatically. You can write to these files, but that’s dangerous, because Aloha adds fields to these files from time to time with new versions—so you can end up having to write code that treats the DBFs differently, depending on the version.

                    Aloha is the database engine here. There is no database tool being used. It's just something akin to CSV files with DBF names. If you show us the contents of one of them, we could tell you in a few minutes what they are. But they are not from any "database" product, they are simply the data files of Aloha.

                    So it sounds like Notepad will likely work just fine.

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                    • D
                      dave_c @Reid Cooper
                      last edited by dave_c

                      @Reid-Cooper
                      Does this help?
                      https://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=1638861
                      https://posforum.net/aloha-pos-support/aloha-database-integration/
                      If those posts are right, Aloha uses dBase et al DBF files

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                      • R
                        Reid Cooper
                        last edited by

                        It's hard to tell what is working for people and what is just something someone is suggesting. Also there is a lot of conflicting info, for example some people are saying that the system "used to be" flat file based, then others saying it has changed and is now SQL based. But flat file refers to how the data is stored on disk, and SQL refers to how it is referenced through the application, so it's like saying that a car used to use rubber tires, but has changed and how has leather seats - maybe the tires changed, too. But that someone says that the seat material changed and they associated that with the tires just tells us that people don't know what they are saying.

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                        • R
                          Reid Cooper
                          last edited by

                          Easiest thing, show some contents of any one of the files and we will probably have all that we need to know almost instantly.

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                          • D
                            dave_c @Reid Cooper
                            last edited by

                            @Reid-Cooper
                            it seems like there are 2 versions of Aloha, one uses a SQL database and the other uses only DBF files easily manipulable in Fox Pro. But it seems like the SQL based Aloha stills has DBFs in the server.

                            So the easiest thing would be to download a dBase DBF viewer and try it on a copy of an Aloha DBF.

                            I'm out but I will check later to see if @WrCombs has success

                            R W 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
                            • J
                              JaredBusch @Reid Cooper
                              last edited by

                              @Reid-Cooper said in Data Base Management:

                              https://lonetreerob.wordpress.com/2012/06/26/the-technical-side-of-aloha-pos-integration/

                              Finally, from an Aloha interface perspective, I need to discuss the Aloha database file system. Instead of using a single large database file to store all of its configuration information, the developers of Aloha elected to put most of this information in Dbase format files (DBFs). You can read these files with Excel and you can read these files programmatically. You can write to these files, but that’s dangerous, because Aloha adds fields to these files from time to time with new versions—so you can end up having to write code that treats the DBFs differently, depending on the version.

                              Aloha is the database engine here. There is no database tool being used. It's just something akin to CSV files with DBF names. If you show us the contents of one of them, we could tell you in a few minutes what they are. But they are not from any "database" product, they are simply the data files of Aloha.

                              So it sounds like Notepad will likely work just fine.

                              and nailed it..

                              W 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                              • W
                                WrCombs @JaredBusch
                                last edited by

                                @JaredBusch said in Data Base Management:

                                @Reid-Cooper said in Data Base Management:

                                https://lonetreerob.wordpress.com/2012/06/26/the-technical-side-of-aloha-pos-integration/

                                Finally, from an Aloha interface perspective, I need to discuss the Aloha database file system. Instead of using a single large database file to store all of its configuration information, the developers of Aloha elected to put most of this information in Dbase format files (DBFs). You can read these files with Excel and you can read these files programmatically. You can write to these files, but that’s dangerous, because Aloha adds fields to these files from time to time with new versions—so you can end up having to write code that treats the DBFs differently, depending on the version.

                                Aloha is the database engine here. There is no database tool being used. It's just something akin to CSV files with DBF names. If you show us the contents of one of them, we could tell you in a few minutes what they are. But they are not from any "database" product, they are simply the data files of Aloha.

                                So it sounds like Notepad will likely work just fine.

                                and nailed it..

                                Notepad does not work, but I found one. It's called "db navigator".
                                The "dbfs" are stored in what looks to be "csv "?now that I look a little more closely.
                                Sorry for the confusion, but I honestly didn't have the answers for what you guys were asking.
                                I get it, my question in and of itself was vague. But I didn't have an understanding of what you all were talking about.

                                R 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                • R
                                  Reid Cooper @WrCombs
                                  last edited by

                                  @WrCombs said in Data Base Management:

                                  @JaredBusch said in Data Base Management:

                                  @Reid-Cooper said in Data Base Management:

                                  https://lonetreerob.wordpress.com/2012/06/26/the-technical-side-of-aloha-pos-integration/

                                  Finally, from an Aloha interface perspective, I need to discuss the Aloha database file system. Instead of using a single large database file to store all of its configuration information, the developers of Aloha elected to put most of this information in Dbase format files (DBFs). You can read these files with Excel and you can read these files programmatically. You can write to these files, but that’s dangerous, because Aloha adds fields to these files from time to time with new versions—so you can end up having to write code that treats the DBFs differently, depending on the version.

                                  Aloha is the database engine here. There is no database tool being used. It's just something akin to CSV files with DBF names. If you show us the contents of one of them, we could tell you in a few minutes what they are. But they are not from any "database" product, they are simply the data files of Aloha.

                                  So it sounds like Notepad will likely work just fine.

                                  and nailed it..

                                  Notepad does not work, but I found one. It's called "db navigator".
                                  The "dbfs" are stored in what looks to be "csv "?now that I look a little more closely.
                                  Sorry for the confusion, but I honestly didn't have the answers for what you guys were asking.
                                  I get it, my question in and of itself was vague. But I didn't have an understanding of what you all were talking about.

                                  Notepad opens CSV, CSV is just a text document. What happens when you try to open in Notepad?

                                  W 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • W
                                    WrCombs @Reid Cooper
                                    last edited by WrCombs

                                    @Reid-Cooper said in Data Base Management:

                                    https://lonetreerob.wordpress.com/2012/06/26/the-technical-side-of-aloha-pos-integration/

                                    Finally, from an Aloha interface perspective, I need to discuss the Aloha database file system. Instead of using a single large database file to store all of its configuration information, the developers of Aloha elected to put most of this information in Dbase format files (DBFs). You can read these files with Excel and you can read these files programmatically. You can write to these files, but that’s dangerous, because Aloha adds fields to these files from time to time with new versions—so you can end up having to write code that treats the DBFs differently, depending on the version.

                                    Aloha is the database engine here. There is no database tool being used. It's just something akin to CSV files with DBF names. If you show us the contents of one of them, we could tell you in a few minutes what they are. But they are not from any "database" product, they are simply the data files of Aloha.

                                    So it sounds like Notepad will likely work just fine.

                                    Oh oh he said it right here.

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                    • R
                                      Reid Cooper @dave_c
                                      last edited by

                                      @dave_c said in Data Base Management:

                                      @Reid-Cooper
                                      it seems like there are 2 versions of Aloha, one uses a SQL database and the other uses only DBF files easily manipulable in Fox Pro. But it seems like the SQL based Aloha stills has DBFs in the server.

                                      So the easiest thing would be to download a dBase DBF viewer and try it on a copy of an Aloha DBF.

                                      I'm out but I will check later to see if @WrCombs has success

                                      It has been a while since I used Fox Pro, but I am pretty sure that Fox Pro can talk SQL. Fox Pro is "a SQL database." It is fully relational, just like JetDB and SQL Server.

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                                      • W
                                        WrCombs @Reid Cooper
                                        last edited by

                                        @Reid-Cooper said in Data Base Management:

                                        @WrCombs said in Data Base Management:

                                        @JaredBusch said in Data Base Management:

                                        @Reid-Cooper said in Data Base Management:

                                        https://lonetreerob.wordpress.com/2012/06/26/the-technical-side-of-aloha-pos-integration/

                                        Finally, from an Aloha interface perspective, I need to discuss the Aloha database file system. Instead of using a single large database file to store all of its configuration information, the developers of Aloha elected to put most of this information in Dbase format files (DBFs). You can read these files with Excel and you can read these files programmatically. You can write to these files, but that’s dangerous, because Aloha adds fields to these files from time to time with new versions—so you can end up having to write code that treats the DBFs differently, depending on the version.

                                        Aloha is the database engine here. There is no database tool being used. It's just something akin to CSV files with DBF names. If you show us the contents of one of them, we could tell you in a few minutes what they are. But they are not from any "database" product, they are simply the data files of Aloha.

                                        So it sounds like Notepad will likely work just fine.

                                        and nailed it..

                                        Notepad does not work, but I found one. It's called "db navigator".
                                        The "dbfs" are stored in what looks to be "csv "?now that I look a little more closely.
                                        Sorry for the confusion, but I honestly didn't have the answers for what you guys were asking.
                                        I get it, my question in and of itself was vague. But I didn't have an understanding of what you all were talking about.

                                        Notepad opens CSV, CSV is just a text document. What happens when you try to open in Notepad?

                                        its a bunch of Symbols and circles

                                        R 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • W
                                          WrCombs @dave_c
                                          last edited by

                                          @dave_c said in Data Base Management:

                                          @Reid-Cooper
                                          it seems like there are 2 versions of Aloha, one uses a SQL database and the other uses only DBF files easily manipulable in Fox Pro. But it seems like the SQL based Aloha stills has DBFs in the server.

                                          So the easiest thing would be to download a dBase DBF viewer and try it on a copy of an Aloha DBF.

                                          I'm out but I will check later to see if @WrCombs has success

                                          that is correct - there are 2 version of aloha manager ( which the Aloha software) Old Aloha ( version 5.3-6.7) and the NAM ( New Aloha Manager 12.3 and up)
                                          basically old aloha manager is a "dbf" that is quick and easy.
                                          the NAM is more of an issue.
                                          SO with old aloha, we can just open Folder "A" and we can view the "dbfs" for accuracy ( not that we actually do) but with NAM we have to preform a Refresh - which breaks down the SQL files and puts them into Folder "A". but then it's the same as Old Aloha, because they can be easily opened with dbnavigator or excel.

                                          Now the Only reason we open DBFs is to look for discrepancies, with in the files.

                                          For example - Had a site call in about a printer not working properly and showing offline.
                                          Did hardware trouble shooting. tested the cord and Printer on a different terminal, That left software issues within aloha, I was seeing one thing in the aloha manager software.
                                          So I had to pop open a Dbf to see where the printer was supposed to connect to the terminal.

                                          And things like that.

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                                          • R
                                            Reid Cooper @WrCombs
                                            last edited by

                                            @WrCombs said in Data Base Management:

                                            @Reid-Cooper said in Data Base Management:

                                            @WrCombs said in Data Base Management:

                                            @JaredBusch said in Data Base Management:

                                            @Reid-Cooper said in Data Base Management:

                                            https://lonetreerob.wordpress.com/2012/06/26/the-technical-side-of-aloha-pos-integration/

                                            Finally, from an Aloha interface perspective, I need to discuss the Aloha database file system. Instead of using a single large database file to store all of its configuration information, the developers of Aloha elected to put most of this information in Dbase format files (DBFs). You can read these files with Excel and you can read these files programmatically. You can write to these files, but that’s dangerous, because Aloha adds fields to these files from time to time with new versions—so you can end up having to write code that treats the DBFs differently, depending on the version.

                                            Aloha is the database engine here. There is no database tool being used. It's just something akin to CSV files with DBF names. If you show us the contents of one of them, we could tell you in a few minutes what they are. But they are not from any "database" product, they are simply the data files of Aloha.

                                            So it sounds like Notepad will likely work just fine.

                                            and nailed it..

                                            Notepad does not work, but I found one. It's called "db navigator".
                                            The "dbfs" are stored in what looks to be "csv "?now that I look a little more closely.
                                            Sorry for the confusion, but I honestly didn't have the answers for what you guys were asking.
                                            I get it, my question in and of itself was vague. But I didn't have an understanding of what you all were talking about.

                                            Notepad opens CSV, CSV is just a text document. What happens when you try to open in Notepad?

                                            its a bunch of Symbols and circles

                                            Well, that suggests that it is a binary file of some sort. Might be something simple, like Base64, but not an ASCII file.

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