EPA Region 10 DBF2INFO Utilities

Version 5.7, July 13, 1998

Overview
Programs included in the package
Changes since the last version
Availability
Disclaimers

Overview

This package is a set of utilities for translating data between dBASE dbf, ASCII, and ARC/INFO formats. Most of the programs run either as ARC commands or as system commands independent of ARC/INFO.

An install script is included that configures, builds, tests, and installs the package. Pre-compiled packages are available for several systems.

These programs were developed for EPA use, but have been released as free software. Anyone can use them.

Programs included the package

The following utilities are implemented as ARC commands, but they do not require ARC/INFO, and may also be installed as system commands.

dbf2info -- Creates an INFO data file from a dBASE dbf file.
info2dbf -- Creates a dBASE dbf file from INFO data file.
ascii2info -- Creates an INFO data file from an ASCII file.
info2ascii -- Creates an ASCII file from an INFO data file.
dbflook -- Lists the header, field defs, and data in a dbf file.
dbflist -- Lists the data section of a dbf file to stdout.
dbfitems -- Lists the field definitions of a dbf file to stdout.
infodir -- Lists the contents of an INFO directory, with wildcarding.

The following are implemented as ARC commands. They require ARC/INFO.

info2cover -- Creates a point coverage from an INFO file.
dbf2cover -- Creates a point coverage from a dbf file.

The following utilities are implemented as system commands. They run from the system prompt, and do not require ARC/INFO.

infolook -- Lists the header, item defs, and data in an INFO file.
infolist -- Lists the data section of an INFO data file to stdout.
infoitems -- Lists the item definitions of an INFO data file to stdout.
infodel -- Deletes INFO files, with wildcarding.

The dbf2info and info2dbf programs allow you to specify which items to include in the conversion. The ascii2info and info2ascii programs permit this as well. They also read and write variously formatted ascii files, fixed width, comma or TAB delimited, etc.

Most of the programs are implemented as system commands, and do not require ARC/INFO to work. It is convienient to be able to read and write INFO files, or just list INFO directories without having to start ARC/INFO. The only programs in the package that actually require ARC/INFO are dbf2cover and info2cover.

The programs do require an info directory in order to create INFO files. You can create an empty info directory by making a directory called info, and touching a file in it called arcdr9 (or arc.dir if you prefer an 8.3 style workspace).

Most of the programs have AML front ends, installed as atools. This allows them to be invoked from the ARC prompt. Note, however, that this is optional. The programs run the just as well from the system prompt.

The programs are written in C. An install script is included that configures the package for your system, compiles everything, and installs it.

Changes since the last version

Changed the infolib code so that an info file can be specified using a full pathname including a drive letter, colon and backslash.
Changed the filenames from 8.3 to same names as the unix release. This means the WinNT/9x release must be unpacked using an unzipper that preserves long filenames, such as infozip.
No changes significant to the unix release.

Availability

The full source release is available in compressed or gzipped form. An install script is included that configures the package for your system, compiles everything, and installs it.

Precompiled releases are available for some systems. These do not include the source code, but install much faster since all the executables are already compiled. These packages were compiled and tested under specific versions of their respective OS (noted below). If you have a different OS version, the pre-compiled package may not run properly on your system. In that case, you should probably get the full source release instead.

Data General AViiON DGUX R4.12T C2
WinNT/9x (Click here for more details on this release)

I have not yet made precompiled releases of the current version for any systems other than DG/UX. For these systems, you can either get the full source and compile it yourself, or get the older precompiled release. I no longer have access to some of these systems. Sorry.

All of these releases are also available in the gistechs/programs/software section of EPA's public access ftp site.

Disclaimers

These programs were developed and are maintained by Randy Deardorff, of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10, Seattle. The programs were developed for in-house use, but are released to the public in the hope that they will be useful.

The programs are not recommended or endorsed by The United States Government, or by the Environmental Protection Agency. The programs are provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied.

These programs make extensive use of a public domain C package for direct INFO access called infolib written by Todd Stellhorn of ESRI. The infolib code contains the following disclimer:

This software is being released into the public domain. It may be freely used whole or in part or distributed as a whole as long as this notice remains attached to the source code. The author and ESRI do not assume any liability or responsibility in the use or distribution of this software.

Randy Deardorff
Email: deardorff.randy@epa.gov