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[Solved] Opening MS Works WDB files in OpenOffice

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 3:22 pm
by BlueWolf
How do I use OpenOffice to open an MS Works for Windows Database file? I want to convert/copy the file for permanent use in OpenOffice, but I can't get it to open in OpenOffice at all.

If I try to access the files from start/computer/(directory) ... OO is not listed among the programs I can use to open the WDB file... and if I try to find the files from within OO, they are just not listed.

Can you help?

Re: Opening MS Works WDB files in OpenOfice

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 4:13 pm
by RoryOF
Use www.zamzar.com to convert your files.

Re: Opening MS Works WDB files in OpenOfice

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 4:41 pm
by BlueWolf
RoryOF wrote:Use http://www.zamzar.com to convert your files.
Thanks... but it didn't work. It gave me a message ... 'Filetype conversion is not currently supported for "wdb" '

... is there anything else I can try?

I know there is a 'free trial' download for MS Works, which is legitimate... but I don't know where to get that from. I only need it long enough to convert these files.

Re: Opening MS Works WDB files in OpenOfice

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 4:51 pm
by Villeroy
Get an ODBC driver from Microsoft, configure an ODBC connection and connect a Base document to it.

Re: Opening MS Works WDB files in OpenOfice

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 6:12 pm
by BlueWolf
Villeroy wrote:Get an ODBC driver from Microsoft
How do I do that?

Re: Opening MS Works WDB files in OpenOfice

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 6:42 pm
by Villeroy
BlueWolf wrote:
Villeroy wrote:Get an ODBC driver from Microsoft
How do I do that?
How can I know that?
Google indicates that ODBC for "Work" databases exists which lets me assume that there must be some way to get it. Ask Microsoft.

Or open the file in Works and export your data to some computer friendly file format. dBase would be the best choice, csv would be fine.

Re: Opening MS Works WDB files in OpenOfice

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 7:01 pm
by RoryOF
This might help
http://user.services.openoffice.org/en/ ... =13&t=3150

but if it doesn't work I know nothing about it.

Re: Opening MS Works WDB files in OpenOfice

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 7:41 pm
by BlueWolf
lol... Thank You! I'm not a very 'techie' person as you may have guessed. I eventually found a link (via Ask.co.uk) which automatically uninstalled my version of Works and then re-installed it. I can now access the files again.

Next step is to use your tutorials to try & figure out how to 'export' the data from Works, and get it set up in OOffice. Thank You for trying to help... and my apologies for not understanding the answers.

Re: [Solved] Opening MS Works WDB files in OpenOfice

Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2012 2:04 pm
by Arineckaig
If (and only if) your source is a MS Works database, a tutorial and demo - for transfering the data from a Works database to OOo Base - can be downloaded from http://db.tt/zvzHylN0. The process does, however, require that you initially have a MS Works program to open the source database. I have found the process to be fairly reliable in avoidance of hidden errors (particularly in the case of large database files), but its detailed requirements are such that it is not suitable for the wholesale transfer of a significant number of Works .wdb files all at one time.

Re: [Solved] Opening MS Works WDB files in OpenOffice

Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2012 6:00 am
by Chris71Mach1
I know this seems to have been solved, but I just found a much quicker, more efficient solution to this. Using Linux, I don't really like the option of depending on Windows based software as solutions. I did though find a Java applet hosted online that will convert a .wdb file created by Microsoft Works to a nice, convenient .csv or .xls file. Quick, easy, and free to use, it was just what I needed to pull the data out of the .wdb file that I ended up with. The link is:

http://www.mydigitallife.info/convert-m ... installed/