I need to open, view and possibly edit some .dat files from Pervasive PSQL 10 (generated by Peachtree 2009 Premium). I downloaded the Pervasive PSQL 10 client tools and opened the Pervasive Control Center, but I wasn't able to find a way to directly open the .dat files (it seems to want a server name, not a file anem). Do I have to purchase a server license just to view the data files? Does anyone know if the data files Peachtree generates are password protected? Is there a better way to view the files? Creating an ODBC DSN also seemed to want a server name, not a file name, for example, so that didn't work either.

Typically, you don't open the dat files directly unless you are developing the files that create the files. The dat files can be accessed using a file name using the Btrieve API but to use ODBC (or OLEDB, ADO.NET, JDBC, or other Relational interface) you need to use the DDFs and set up a Pervasive Database Name (DBN) and in some cases an ODBC DSN. Creating the DSN will also create the database name. The DBN requires the server name and the path to the DDFs and data files (in your case .DAT, but can be any extension depending on the application).

I believe the Peachtree files are password protected but I do not know for sure and do not know the password.

Why are you wanting to open the .dat files directly?

Thanks for your reply. Someone has asked me to help develop a program to make some data modifications to their Peachtree data. It is fairly basic things like standardizing the contents of some string fields in the data, removing some unnecessary characters, etc. I don't have a Pervasive PSQL server here, but I'd still like to be able to read the data from the .dat files and make some fairly simple changes to it.

My understanding is that the files are password protected, so using the Btrieve API may not be possible, since Peachtree doesn't provide the password (except to Peachtree partners?), as far as I can tell.

I haven't been able to find any good information on creating a DSN/DBN for Peachtree .dat files. I did install the Pervasive PSQL 10 client tools that did install the 32-bit ODBC driver. I had to manually locate and start the 32-bit ODBC control panel, since it does not show in the 64-bit control panel. But once I start that and try to create a DSN (system or user), it asks for a username, password, and server address (see the attachment) - none of which I have since I don't have a server and don't know of any user/password - unless one of the Peachtree usernames/passwords would work (which others have said they do not).

I'm beginning to think that I may need to use the built-in .csv export in Peachtree (I'm hoping I can re-import after editing to perform updates, not just inserts of the changed records), or purchase one of the commercial tools written by Peachtree partners that give you read/write access to the Peachtree data inside Excel or Access (such as the Multiware tools).

You may not have a server but you do have a PSQL engine. I believe Peachtree uses the Workgroup Engine running as a Service.

If the files have a password, Btrieve access is still available but it requires more effort (a Login call or using a URI). You would need to know the exact record structure of each file you open for the Btrieve API. Btrieve doesn't store any field information in the files. The field information is stored in the DDFs. If Peachtree has passwords on the data files and you don't have them, you won't be able to open/write to the files regardless of the method used (Btrieve or ODBC). There is no way to bypass PSQL security.

You are trying to create a "Client" DSN. That does require a remote engine (which is why it's asking for a username and password). If the data is on your local machine, you should be creating an "Engine" DSN. I don't believe Peachtree includes the ODBC drivers. The PSQL Client doesn't allow access to the local files. You'd need a WOrkgroup Engine install. Not knowing how Peachtree has it's data setup, I don't know about the usernames/passwords.