.dbf is a relational database format introduced in DOS database management system dBASE in 1982.
One .dbf file corresponds to one table and contains a series of headers, specification of fields, and a number of fixed-size records.
This page hosts a formal specification of .dbf file format of dBASE using Kaitai Struct. This specification can be automatically translated into a variety of programming languages to get a parsing library.
All parsing code for Python generated by Kaitai Struct depends on the Python runtime library. You have to install it before you can parse data.
The Python runtime library can be installed from PyPI:
python3 -m pip install kaitaistructParse a local file and get structure in memory:
data = Dbf.from_file("path/to/local/file.dbf")
Or parse structure from a bytes:
from kaitaistruct import KaitaiStream, BytesIO
raw = b"\x00\x01\x02..."
data = Dbf(KaitaiStream(BytesIO(raw)))
After that, one can get various attributes from the structure by invoking getter methods like:
data.header1 # => get header1
# This is a generated file! Please edit source .ksy file and use kaitai-struct-compiler to rebuild
import kaitaistruct
from kaitaistruct import KaitaiStruct, KaitaiStream, BytesIO
from enum import Enum
if getattr(kaitaistruct, 'API_VERSION', (0, 9)) < (0, 9):
raise Exception("Incompatible Kaitai Struct Python API: 0.9 or later is required, but you have %s" % (kaitaistruct.__version__))
class Dbf(KaitaiStruct):
""".dbf is a relational database format introduced in DOS database
management system dBASE in 1982.
One .dbf file corresponds to one table and contains a series of headers,
specification of fields, and a number of fixed-size records.
.. seealso::
Source - http://www.dbase.com/Knowledgebase/INT/db7_file_fmt.htm
"""
class DeleteState(Enum):
false = 32
true = 42
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
self._io = _io
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root if _root else self
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.header1 = Dbf.Header1(self._io, self, self._root)
self._raw_header2 = self._io.read_bytes(((self.header1.len_header - 12) - 1))
_io__raw_header2 = KaitaiStream(BytesIO(self._raw_header2))
self.header2 = Dbf.Header2(_io__raw_header2, self, self._root)
self.header_terminator = self._io.read_bytes(1)
if not self.header_terminator == b"\x0D":
raise kaitaistruct.ValidationNotEqualError(b"\x0D", self.header_terminator, self._io, u"/seq/2")
self._raw_records = []
self.records = []
for i in range(self.header1.num_records):
self._raw_records.append(self._io.read_bytes(self.header1.len_record))
_io__raw_records = KaitaiStream(BytesIO(self._raw_records[i]))
self.records.append(Dbf.Record(_io__raw_records, self, self._root))
class Header2(KaitaiStruct):
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
self._io = _io
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root if _root else self
self._read()
def _read(self):
if self._root.header1.dbase_level == 3:
self.header_dbase_3 = Dbf.HeaderDbase3(self._io, self, self._root)
if self._root.header1.dbase_level == 7:
self.header_dbase_7 = Dbf.HeaderDbase7(self._io, self, self._root)
self.fields = []
i = 0
while not self._io.is_eof():
self.fields.append(Dbf.Field(self._io, self, self._root))
i += 1
class Field(KaitaiStruct):
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
self._io = _io
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root if _root else self
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.name = (KaitaiStream.bytes_terminate(self._io.read_bytes(11), 0, False)).decode(u"ASCII")
self.datatype = self._io.read_u1()
self.data_address = self._io.read_u4le()
self.length = self._io.read_u1()
self.decimal_count = self._io.read_u1()
self.reserved1 = self._io.read_bytes(2)
self.work_area_id = self._io.read_u1()
self.reserved2 = self._io.read_bytes(2)
self.set_fields_flag = self._io.read_u1()
self.reserved3 = self._io.read_bytes(8)
class Header1(KaitaiStruct):
"""
.. seealso::
- section 1.1 - http://www.dbase.com/Knowledgebase/INT/db7_file_fmt.htm
"""
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
self._io = _io
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root if _root else self
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.version = self._io.read_u1()
self.last_update_y = self._io.read_u1()
self.last_update_m = self._io.read_u1()
self.last_update_d = self._io.read_u1()
self.num_records = self._io.read_u4le()
self.len_header = self._io.read_u2le()
self.len_record = self._io.read_u2le()
@property
def dbase_level(self):
if hasattr(self, '_m_dbase_level'):
return self._m_dbase_level
self._m_dbase_level = (self.version & 7)
return getattr(self, '_m_dbase_level', None)
class HeaderDbase3(KaitaiStruct):
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
self._io = _io
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root if _root else self
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.reserved1 = self._io.read_bytes(3)
self.reserved2 = self._io.read_bytes(13)
self.reserved3 = self._io.read_bytes(4)
class HeaderDbase7(KaitaiStruct):
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
self._io = _io
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root if _root else self
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.reserved1 = self._io.read_bytes(2)
if not self.reserved1 == b"\x00\x00":
raise kaitaistruct.ValidationNotEqualError(b"\x00\x00", self.reserved1, self._io, u"/types/header_dbase_7/seq/0")
self.has_incomplete_transaction = self._io.read_u1()
self.dbase_iv_encryption = self._io.read_u1()
self.reserved2 = self._io.read_bytes(12)
self.production_mdx = self._io.read_u1()
self.language_driver_id = self._io.read_u1()
self.reserved3 = self._io.read_bytes(2)
if not self.reserved3 == b"\x00\x00":
raise kaitaistruct.ValidationNotEqualError(b"\x00\x00", self.reserved3, self._io, u"/types/header_dbase_7/seq/6")
self.language_driver_name = self._io.read_bytes(32)
self.reserved4 = self._io.read_bytes(4)
class Record(KaitaiStruct):
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
self._io = _io
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root if _root else self
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.deleted = KaitaiStream.resolve_enum(Dbf.DeleteState, self._io.read_u1())
self.record_fields = []
for i in range(len(self._root.header2.fields)):
self.record_fields.append(self._io.read_bytes(self._root.header2.fields[i].length))