Import database from Windows WordPerfect

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vjaaan
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Import database from Windows WordPerfect

Post by vjaaan »

I had an addresses file from Wordperfect X3 on my PC that I accessed when I was printing envelopes. I am switching that project to a new iMac where I'll be using LibreOffice for my word processing.

Can I copy that addresses file from my PC to a flash drive and import it into the mac for LibreOffice to access?

Thanks for any help.

vjaaan
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robleyd
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Re: import database from Windows WordPerfect

Post by robleyd »

LibreOffice can open .wpd WordPerfect documents. Copy the file to your new computer, start LibreOffice and use File | Open to find and open the file.
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Villeroy
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Re: import database from Windows WordPerfect

Post by Villeroy »

vjaaan wrote:Can I copy that addresses file from my PC to a flash drive and import it into the mac for LibreOffice to access?
Find out the file type of that file.
Please, edit this topic's initial post and add "[Solved]" to the subject line if your problem has been solved.
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vjaaan
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Re: import database from Windows WordPerfect

Post by vjaaan »

Oddly enough, I cannot find it anywhere on that PC. It is an Address Book inside WP. Should be an .abx I think, but a search is finding none on that hard drive. I even tried a search on a name that was in that address book, and it was not found.
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Villeroy
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Re: import database from Windows WordPerfect

Post by Villeroy »

Fire up WP and export the address book as advised in https://www.justanswer.com/computer/1wq ... rfect.html
Please, edit this topic's initial post and add "[Solved]" to the subject line if your problem has been solved.
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vjaaan
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Re: Import database from Windows WordPerfect

Post by vjaaan »

That site did not offer the info I needed. Apparently I have to pay to get a more specific response.
I am once again running a search on the PC to find that address book. Am I correct that it would be an .abx file? And if found, can I transfer it to my new iMac for my LibreOffice to use? How would I import it? Is there an Import option within the program that would put it in the right place?
I had tried to Export it from WordPerfect on the pc but the process did not work.
Thanks.
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vjaaan
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Re: Import database from Windows WordPerfect

Post by vjaaan »

Ok, update, I finally located some files that are called ADDRBK3.IX and IX2 and .FX and .FX2 . I opened one of those in an older version of WordPerfect and it showed the list I expected. I don't know if one of those alone would open and be functional in my new Windows 10 on my new iMac, when I set that up. Also, I don't know which of those 4 files is the actual one I want to open from within my new Windows in order to print the envelopes like I used to. Do they all work together, or is only one needed?

Also, will that address file even work within my LibreOffice? Does it have to be converted in some way?

Thanks for hanging in there with me on this!
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Villeroy
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Re: Import database from Windows WordPerfect

Post by Villeroy »

A database may consist of many files. Unless there is any database driver availlable for that type of database, the only option you have is to export the database content to plain text, spreadsheet or dBase. Only WordPerfect can do that (or some 3rd party tool I don't know).
With a matching database driver it may be possible that OpenOffice Base can be connected to these files.
Please, edit this topic's initial post and add "[Solved]" to the subject line if your problem has been solved.
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vjaaan
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Re: Import database from Windows WordPerfect

Post by vjaaan »

When I tried to create a new database in LibreOffice, it said I need JDK from Java. So, if this is true, is it safe to go to Jave's site and download it to my mac? Will this mess up anything else on my computer?
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Villeroy
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Re: Import database from Windows WordPerfect

Post by Villeroy »

Java does not harm. But why a new database? Do you want to enter all the data again? Did you export the existing data from WP? If you exported text files (*.csv or something) you can use csv as a pseudo-database and you can convert csv to dBase which is editable in Base and does not require any Java.
Please, edit this topic's initial post and add "[Solved]" to the subject line if your problem has been solved.
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vjaaan
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Re: Import database from Windows WordPerfect

Post by vjaaan »

That was what I tried for days to do. But my WordPerfect would not let me export it. So I tried to find the address book file on the computer, and Windows Explorer search took hours to search all files, then if I was not in the room at the very moment it concluded, it shut the Explorer search results down. I had searched for abx files, not sure what the address book file would be, and then tried searching for a particular unusual name in that address book. But the results disappeared if I took too long to check back.

I figure it would take me less time to create a new address book in LibreOffice once I have the new iMac up and running. When I tested doing this on my MacBook Pro, it told me I could not do it without having Java (JDK).
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Villeroy
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Re: Import database from Windows WordPerfect

Post by Villeroy »

For a very quick solution, type everything consistently into a spreadsheet. Consistently means:
First row has column labels:
Forename Surname ZIP City Phone
and the other rows get forenames, surnames, zip codes, cities, phones etc in their respective columns. Just a simple flat list.

Then you can use that spreadsheet as an address database (no recommended) or you can save the sheet as a dBase file which is easier to maintain in Base.
The structure (columns, column labels, column order) of a spreadsheet is easier to change. Once you got the columns right you should switch over to a dBase database.
------------------------------------------------------------
Connect Base to a spreadsheet
Save the spreadsheet.
Call File>New>Database...
[X] Connect to existing database
Type: Spreadsheet
[X] Register the database (as a source for serial letters, labels and such)
Save the database document. Your database data are NOT in the database document. They are stored in the connected spreadsheet. See status bar of the database document.
Now you may close and forget the database document but don't move it nor delete it.
---------------------------------------------
How to do a mail merge
In Writer call menu:View>Data Sources, drop down the name of your database, then "Tables" and select your table.
In the right pane your spreadsheet list appears. Drag the grey column headers into your Writer document (or into your letter template) in order to insert mail merge fields.
In order to do the actual mail merge, just print, answer "yes" when asked if you are going to print a serial letter. The next dialog lets you choose if you want to print into a document or directly to a printer.
-------------------------------------------
After you changed any data or structure in your spreadsheet, you have to save the spreadsheet and restart the entire office suite before the changes take place in Base and in your mail merge documents. If you change from a spreadsheet connection to a dBase connection you get rid of this annoyance and you get the ability to edit your data directly in the data source window.
-------------------------------------------
Switch from spreadsheet to dBase:
Save your spreadsheet as a dBase (*.dbf) file. This will only save the current sheet.
Open the existing database document. Right-click>Edit in the data source window is a handy way to access that file.
Call menu:Edit>Database>Connection type...
Switch from Spreadsheet to dBase, click [Next>] and choose the directory where you stored the dBase file.
Your database data are still NOT in the database document. They are stored in the dBase files of the connected directory. See status bar of the database document.
-------------------------------------------
All this does not require any Java.
Please, edit this topic's initial post and add "[Solved]" to the subject line if your problem has been solved.
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vjaaan
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Re: Import database from Windows WordPerfect

Post by vjaaan »

Thank you for that excellent reply! I am saving it so I can follow your instructions!
Much appreciated!
OpenOffice 3.3.0 on Mac OS 10.8.5 ←←←←← Probably bogus information
vjaaan
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Re: Import database from Windows WordPerfect

Post by vjaaan »

However, there is still the issue of how I can create a new database in LibreOffice. I just tried again, and it won't allow me to create a new one without java.
Plus, I have found the 4 database files created in WordPerfect and I need to convert them for use in LibreOffice. They are FX and IX files now. Can I import them into LibreOffice without Java (or even with Java).
Thanks.
OpenOffice 3.3.0 on Mac OS 10.8.5 ←←←←← Probably bogus information
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