Expert: César Lenin López Muñoz - 6/4/2008

Question
QUESTION: I have an old DOS application that has DBF,NTX,OVL,LBL files as well as an EXE file so I think it is an old Clipper application. I do not know what the original directory structure is and it cannot find the dbf files as am getting, for example, a "Error DBFNTX/1001 Open error:  :rvcust.dbf (DOS error 3)' message when trying to run the program on XP. I tried to change the Path variable in XP with no luck. Any ideas? Thanks

ANSWER: Yes, I think it's an old Clipper application as well.

so you can try, seeing the file in binary format. I suggest you try Total Commander (www.ghisler.com), download the free version, navigate using both panels until you locate your EXE file, select it using the keyboard or mouse and press the F3 key (view), in the viewer type "3" in the keyboard (the 3 is the binary viewer, or use another numbers as well.)

That way, you can see what path names the exe file has.

Or the .OVL as well.

Good luck... I hope this helps.

Please keep me posted of your outcome.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for getting back to me so quick. I followed your instructions and was able to look at the EXE and OVL files. Unfortunately, there is not enough that is readable to be able to figure out the path names. I did find that it was compiled with Clipper 5.2c. Also, using the free demo Valkyrie decompiler I found that the linker is Blinker 2.0., but cannot read the source because it is disabled. Does Clipper maybe have a default directory structure that it uses during compilation that I can experiment with? Thanks again

ANSWER: No, there is no default path name included with Clipper.

If you try the other Total Commander viewers (select the file you want to view, press F3, and type a number from 3 to 7), you will see those have ascii garbage filters and you will be able to see them all in a readable format.

Or, if you prefer, you can select all the files (using the Ins key, or right-clicking them... you know a file has been selected because its font becomes red). With all files selected, press alt-f7 (commands/search). Select "find text: :/" (semicolon + slash). This will give you the drive name, plus the path name, in the selected files.

I insist in using Total Commander because of the power of its functions. I'm sure you'll get used to it soon and you'll ask yourself how could you live without it. :) (smile!!! problems look smaller when you do).

This should help, if not, please let me know.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I followed your instructions and tried all the different viewers again as well as doing the search for :/ and did not find anything. I tried : and found one but nothing was readable. Am I missing some character sets?
Maybe I am going the wrong direction here.
Last night I got a bit more info. The app was installed on an XP box and worked fine. When it was transferred onto a new box into the same directory it started giving the error message. That indicates that the environment on the new box is not configured correctly maybe? What settings might need adjusting?


Answer
Did you solve your problem? I received another follow up with the same question you posted before.