Want to batch export data from DBF tables to XML files?
Try Withdata DBToFile, a DBF to XML converter for Windows, Linux, and macOS, Export DBF data to XML, Easy and Fast.
- Can run in GUI mode, Step by Step, just a few mouse clicks.
- Can run in Command line, for Scheduled Tasks and Streams.
- Support Windows, Linux, and macOS.
Batch export data from DBF tables to XML files
Login to DBF -> Select DBF tables -> Set XML file options -> Export DBF tables to XML
Choose DBF and logon.
Click “Export All Tables” at task dialog.
Select XML file type.
1. Select DBF tables to export.
2. Set XML options.
3. See DBF tables to be exported.
4. Set rows options.
5. Export DBF data to XML files.
After exporting, you can view output XML files.
More about DBF to XML converter
Download Withdata DBToFile
See also:
- Export DBF table to XML
- Export DBF query results to XML
- Export multiple similar DBF tables to one XML file
DBF → XML reference
Type mapping
| Value kind | in DBF | in XML |
|---|---|---|
| Int | Numeric(10,0) | <int>1234</int> |
| Bigint | Numeric(19,0) | <bigint>9007199254740993</bigint> |
| Decimal | Numeric(p,s) | <decimal>1234.56</decimal> |
| Float | Float | <float>1.234e10</float> |
| Text | Character(n) | <char>text</char> |
| Long text | Memo | <text>multi-line text</text> (entities for & <) |
| Date | Date | <date>2026-09-18</date> (xs:date with an XSD) |
| Datetime | (none) | <datetime>2026-09-18T14:30:00Z</datetime> (xs:dateTime) |
| Binary | (none) | <blob>base64...</blob> (xs:base64Binary) |
| Boolean | Logical | <bool>true</bool> |
| JSON | (none) | escaped inside an element, or its own sub-tree |
Dialect differences
DBF is a database server and XML is a file format, so the gap is wider than a dialect difference – the rows below are where values and structure stop lining up.
| Property | in DBF | in XML |
|---|---|---|
| port | (file-based) | — |
| identifiers | — | Attribute values in quotes; entities (& < >) for ... |
| row limit | (driver dependent) | — |
| dates | Date (D) | Text (xs:date / xs:dateTime when an XSD is in play) |
| long text | Memo (M) | — |
| binary | — | base64Binary / hexBinary inside text |
| separator | — | Tags, not delimiters |
| encoding | — | Declared in the XML declaration |
| typing | — | None in the markup itself |
| shape | Tables of rows and columns | Arbitrary tree |
| ceiling | — | Whole document is usually parsed into memory |
No counterpart
- XML has no equivalent for Date and time – it has to be flattened or dropped.
- XML has no equivalent for Binary – it has to be flattened or dropped.
- XML has no equivalent for JSON – it has to be flattened or dropped.
DBF to CSV without the manual work
For batch jobs, large files and scheduling use the DBF to CSV converter — an offline desktop app for Windows, Linux and macOS. Free trial.
