Want to batch transfer data from DBF tables to SQL Server ?
Using Withdata software DBCopier, a DBF to SQL Server converter, you can transfer data from DBF (dBase, FoxBase, FoxPro) tables to SQL Server in a batch, easily 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, macOS.
Batch transfer data from DBF (dBase, FoxBase, FoxPro) tables to SQL Server tables
Login to DBF and SQL Server -> Select source DBF tables -> Set target SQL Server tables -> Copy DBF data to SQL Server
Choose source DBF database and logon.
Choose target SQL Server database and logon.
Click “Convert All Tables” at task dialog.
then show the wizard.
1. Select source DBF tables.
2. List target SQL Server tables.
3. Select SQL Server tables to import.
4. Transfer data from DBF (dBase, FoxBase, FoxPro) tables to SQL Server .
DBF to SQL Server conversion task
You can schedule and automate this “DBF to SQL Server” conversion task by:
1) Save session and create .bat (Windows) or .sh (Linux/macOS) file.
More about DBCopier – DBF to SQL Server Converter
Download DBCopier for 30-day free trial 
DBF → SQL reference
Type mapping
| Value kind | in DBF | in SQL |
|---|---|---|
| Int | Numeric(10,0) | INT |
| Bigint | Numeric(19,0) | BIGINT |
| Decimal | Numeric(p,s) | DECIMAL(p,s) |
| Float | Float | DOUBLE PRECISION |
| Text | Character(n) | VARCHAR(n) |
| Long text | Memo | TEXT / CLOB |
| Date | Date | DATE |
| Datetime | (none) | TIMESTAMP |
| Binary | (none) | BLOB / BYTEA |
| Boolean | Logical | BOOLEAN / SMALLINT |
| JSON | (none) | JSON / TEXT |
Dialect differences
DBF is a database server and SQL 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 SQL |
|---|---|---|
| port | (file-based) | — |
| identifiers | — | Two competing conventions: single-quoted literals and diale... |
| row limit | (driver dependent) | — |
| dates | Date (D) | Depends on the dialect: DATE literals, TO_DATE(), or plain ... |
| long text | Memo (M) | — |
| binary | — | Dialect-specific: X-quoted literal, 0x hex, or decode() |
| separator | — | Statement terminators (;) |
| encoding | — | No declaration |
| typing | — | Types belong to the target database, and they differ betwee... |
| shape | Tables of rows and columns | Statements; a dump usually means CREATE TABLE plus INSERT rows |
| ceiling | — | No formal limit, but a single INSERT statement has to fit i... |
No counterpart
- SQL has no equivalent for Date and time – it has to be flattened or dropped.
- SQL has no equivalent for Binary – it has to be flattened or dropped.
- SQL has no equivalent for JSON – it has to be flattened or dropped.
Convert your data online, free
Free in-browser converters for CSV, Excel, JSON, XML and SQL: Withdata Online Data Conversion. Large files, batch conversion or scheduling? See the offline desktop apps, or browse all data conversion tools.
