Database Overview
Chapter Updated 3/18/04
| Position | Length | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 byte | file version number (03H without a .DBT file) (83H with a .DBT file) |
| 1-3 | 3 bytes | date of last update (YY MM DD) in binary format |
| 4-7 | 32 bit number | number of records in data file |
| 8-9 | 16 bit number | length of header structure |
| 10-11 | 16 bit number | length of the record |
| 12-31 | 20 bytes | reserved |
| 32-n | 32 bytes each | field descriptor record (see below) |
| n+1 | 1 byte | 0DH as the field terminator |
| Position | Length | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 0-10 | 11 bytes | field name in ASCII zero-filled |
| 11 | 1 byte | field type in ASCII (C N L D or M) |
| 12-15 | 32 bit number | field data address |
| 16 | 1 byte | field length in binary |
| 17 | 1 byte | field decimal count in binary |
| 18-31 | 14 bytes | reserved bytes (version 1.00) |
| DATA TYPE | DATA RECORD STORAGE |
|---|---|
| Character | ASCII characters, left justified, right blank filled |
| Date | (8 digits in YYYYMMDD format, such as 19601007 for October 7, 1960) |
| Logical | ? Y y N n T t F f (? when not initialized) |
| Memo | 10 digits representing a .DBT block number |
| Numeric | . 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 + -, right justified, left blank filled |
| Float | . 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 + -, right justified, left blank filled |
| Valid Block Types |
|---|
| Head Block |
| Only data block for memo field |
| First of several contiguous data block set |
| 2-n of contiguous data block set |
| Only data block in free chain (version IV only) |
| First of several contiguous free block set (version IV only) |
| 2-n of contiguous free block set (type 4 only) |
| 1-4 | LONG | Next Block ID |
|---|---|---|
| 5-8 | LONG | Not used all 0x00's |
| 9-16 | CHAR(8) | Filename (Version IV Only) |
| 17 | CHAR | Version (0x03 = Version III, 0x00 = Version IV) |
| 18-20 | CHAR(3) | Not used all 0x00's |
| 21-22 | SHORT | Block Size (Version IV only ) |
| 23-Remainder of block | CHAR | Not used |
| xbShort | 0-1 | -1 |
|---|---|---|
| xbShort | 2-3 | Starting position of data (always 8 ?) |
| xbLong | 4-7 | Length of data includes first 8 bytes |
| char (9) - Blocksize | 8-15 | Data |
| xbLong | 0-3 | Next free block in the free block chain |
|---|---|---|
| xbLong | 4-7 | Number of free blocks in this contiguous free block set |
