Cornered! Appleworks is my database program. Help!

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Cornered! Appleworks is my database program. Help!

Postby Tedhead » Sun Feb 10, 2008 4:15 pm

Withs Appleworks is in it's demise I need a new database program. My business has been using this software back to the Claris days and I can't find a database program that will transfer my information fields smoothly from Appleworks fields into comparable fields in a new database program. Unless I can find one, it would take me forever to correctly manipulate the thousands of records I have.

1) Any solutions? Many others must have this issue, correct?

2) I'd like to see Apple support it's long time loyal customers by allowing Appleworks fields transfer smoothly into comparable fields in a NUMBERS spreadsheet format, or another database program.
Thanks!
Tedhead
 

Re: Cornered! Appleworks is my database program. Help!

Postby Barry » Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:50 pm

Tedhead wrote:Withs Appleworks is in it's demise I need a new database program. My business has been using this software back to the Claris days and I can't find a database program that will transfer my information fields smoothly from Appleworks fields into comparable fields in a new database program. Unless I can find one, it would take me forever to correctly manipulate the thousands of records I have.

1) Any solutions? Many others must have this issue, correct?

2) I'd like to see Apple support it's long time loyal customers by allowing Appleworks fields transfer smoothly into comparable fields in a NUMBERS spreadsheet format, or another database program.
Thanks!


Most database or spreadsheet applications can import data from tab delimited text files, which the the native Text format for export from AppleWorks. Almost all (including Numbers) can import data from CSV (comma separated values) text files.

Numbers is able to open an AppleWorks 6 spreadsheet, but some formulas may not transfer as AW and Numbers lists of supported functions are different.

That opens a couple of routes for transfering data to a different DB:

• Save as... ASCII Text, then Import into the new DB

• Save as... ASCII Text, Import into an AppleWorks word processor document and use Find/Change to Change all the tabs (\t) to commas, Save as... ASCII Text, then import the result into Numbers or another spreadsheet/database.

• Open the AW DB, choose a layout that shows ALL fields, Select All (records), Copy, Open a new spreadsheet, Paste. Save and close the spreadsheet, then open the spreadsheet file into Numbers.

While any of these methods should transfer your data to a new SS or DB application, they will not preserve any layouts you have created, nor will they preserve the formulas in calculation or summary type fields. Checkbox field data will be transferred as 1 (checked) or 0 (unchecked); Radio Button and Popup field data may be transferred as numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.) corresponding to the position of the selected item in the list of choices.

===================

OTOH, Apple's declaration of EOL for AppleWorks does not mean the application will immediately quit working. Except for a formal declaration, there has been effectively no change in Apple's 'support' for AppleWorks in the past three years. AW 6.2.9 works well on current operating systems and platforms, including Tiger, Leopard, and the intel based Macs.

Keep looking for a suitable replacement, but in the meantime, don't panic.

A prudent person would make regular backups of AW files, including a regular export to Text of database files and an EMPTY copy of all database files, and would make a backup copy of the AppleWorks 6 folder and its contents onto an external drive or a CD.

Regards,
Barry
Barry
 
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