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			XBase and DBD::XBase
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This is the README file for the XBase and DBD::XBase packages.

Module XBase provides access to XBase (dBase, Fox*) database files,
namely dbf, dbt, fpt, ndx, ntx. It provides native Perl interface
($table->get_record) to read and write the tables.

Module DBD::XBase is DBI driver that uses XBase to actually access the
data, giving you SQL interface ($dbh->prepare("SELECT * FROM TABLE")).
To use DBD::XBase, you need the DBI module -- please check the DBI(3)
man page for how to use it. As an argument to connect, give
"dbi:XBase:$dir", where $dir is directory with the data files.

No other servers/software are needed, these modules directly read and
write the files. The main goal was to create a parser, mainly to work
with data from your current applications. If you are looking for
something more powerfull, check (for example) MySQL or PostgreSQL.

The distribution also includes a dbfdump script that prints out the
content of the table in readable form.

The support for ndx/ntx index files is rather minimal. It currently
allows you to search directly to the record you want. But you cannot
create the index, nor is the index updated when you change the dbf.

This module is provided in a hope you might find it usefull. My intent
is to support as many variations of formats as possible, but I do not
have dBase/Fox* and do not plan to have, so send me examples of your
data files if you feel your native XBase engines produce data
incompatible with this module.

Man pages for XBase, DBD::XBase and dbfdump are included, examples of
little scripts can also be found in eg directory of the distribution.

Installation:
	Download the tar.gz, unpack it, change to the DBD-XBase-*
	directory. Then do

		perl Makefile.PL
		make
		make test
		make install

	or you can use CPAN module and do
	
		perl -MCPAN -e shell
		cpan> install XBase
		
	You have to have Perl version 5.004. You need a DBI module to
	use the DBD driver.

	Some people asked whether it is possible to use the module
	even if they do not have root access. Even if this is in
	sufficient detail covered in the docs that come with Perl,
	here's the process:

	You install the module

		perl Makefile.PL LIB=/your/directory \
			INSTALLMAN1DIR=/path/for/man1 \
			INSTALLMAN3DIR=/path/for/man3

	instead of just perl Makefile.PL, and in your scripts do
				   
		use lib '/your/directory';
		use XBase;

Problems and bug reports:
	If anything goes wrong when installing, please send me output
	of your installation messages and of make test TEST_VERBOSE=1.
	If there are errors when actually using the module on your
	data, please send me example of your script, the errstr
	messages you get and (if possible) your data files that cause
	the problems, so that I can trace down the problem. Add info
	about your OS, version of Perl and other modules that might be
	relevant. You can of course also send patches to actual bugs.
	Please mention word XBase in the Subject line.

	Sending bug reports and patches to c.l.p.m is fine but send
	a copy to me as well, since I might miss your post.

If it works for you:
	I'd appreciate any message if you use the module and find it
	usefull -- I'm just curious for what tasks people use the
	module and what they expect from it. You can of course also
	send something more valuable.

Available:
	http://www.fi.muni.cz/~adelton/perl/ and from your favorite
	CPAN site in the authors/id/JANPAZ/ directory.

Copyright: (c) 1997--1998 Jan Pazdziora, adelton@fi.muni.cz. All rights
	reserved. This package is free software; you can redistribute
	it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.