This document presents step-by step instructions on working with DBFCONV (Rapaport price list converter)

DBFCONV converts Rapaport price lists in dBase (*.dbf) format to the format used by OctoNus. Rapaport provides the following files to subscribers:
RNDDAT.DBF - price list for Brilliant cut;
PEARDAT.DBF - price list for Pear cut;
MQDAT.DBF- price list for Marquise cut;
EMDAT.DBF - price list for Emerald cut.

DBFCONV does not require that the file names are exactly as the listed above, but the extension must be .dbf (other formats are not supported). If necessary, one, several, or all cuts can be imported at a time.

To begin, start DBFCONV (a shortcut to it is usually located in Start-Programs-DiamCalc menu) and follow the instructions below.

Selecting the input folder

When DBFCONV is started, it prompts for a location of data files:

RNDDAT.DBF file name is proposed initially, but you can choose any other *.DBF file you want to load instead. After selecting a file, click Open button to continue (clicking Cancel button will abandon the whole operation).

Inspecting and modifying conversion options

After selecting the input folder, "DBFCONV" window appears. Its purpose is to verify that all the data for the conversion process is specified correctly: which cuts' data will be converted, which files hold the data, and where to put output files. All fields are filled automatically. Standard file names are used for all cuts, only the cuts which are found in the folder you specified will be processed, and the output folder is where OctoNus Diamond Calculator expects to find the data:

Usually it is enough to leave everything as is. However, you can change data in "DBFCONV" window as you like, e.g. remove check mark in "Load?" column of the cuts which you do not to load. If your data is stored in the files with names different from the listed above, you should specify necessary names in "File name" column (use Browse buttons to easy select the file names). After changing file names, set check marks near the names of cuts you want to load.

After making your changes (or deciding that all is right as is), click OK button to start conversion process. It can take some time. After completing, you will be notified that the data is converted, or presented with an error log which describes encountered problems.

If you leave an output folder as is (by default, it will point to the place where DiamCalc stores price lists), DiamCalc will use the new data the next time it is started.

Errors and messages

There can be some error conditions during DBFCONV operation. If an error occurs, an error message may be shown. Additionally, you will be presented with a detailed error log after conversion is completed. If error messages do not describe the situation clearly, look at the log for additional information. The most common problems are the following:
1. ODBC is missing or installed incorrectly. Usually it means that you loaded and installed a small version of DBFCONV distribution, and the full one is required for correct operation. Look at "Which version to download" section for more information on that problem.
2. An input file cannot be opened (an error message may also look like "Cannot open the table rnddat"). This sort of error can occur if a wrong name of input file is specified, or if the file is broken, or it does not contain price lists in Rapaport format, or the file is open already by some application (Access, Excel or some other). Check that you specified correct file names, close other applications working with the Rapaport price lists, and try again.
3. An output file cannot be opened (this message appears in error log). Possible reasons are: output folder does not exist, you do not have permissions to write to the output folder/file (on Windows NT systems), or the output file is already opened by some program with exclusive access (e.g. MS Word or another text processor). Check that the output folder is specified correctly, close the output files if they are opened by other programs, and try again.