Free online DB3 to SQL converter

A DB3 file needs conversion when a database must be imported into software that accepts an SQL script, migrated to another database engine, or archived in a readable text form. The correct procedure depends on whether the file is a SQLite database or a dBASE III table.

What the DB3 format is

DB3 is an ambiguous database extension. It commonly refers to either a SQLite database file or a dBASE III table; the extension alone does not identify the format.

• SQLite: A complete relational database stored in one file. It can contain tables, indexes, views, triggers, schema definitions, and data. SQLite files are used by desktop applications, embedded devices, mobile apps, and software installations. A SQLite database normally begins with the header SQLite format 3.
• dBASE III: A table containing records and field definitions. Its usual extension is .dbf, although some programs use .db3 for dBASE III tables. Memo fields may depend on a matching .dbt file. A dBASE III file has a dBASE header and field-definition area rather than a SQLite header.

Do not identify the file by opening it in a text editor: both formats are binary. Check the header with a database utility or open a copy in software that supports the suspected format. Keep any matching .dbt file with a dBASE table during conversion.

What the SQL format is

An SQL file is a plain-text script containing database statements, not a database engine and not one universal binary format. A dump may contain CREATE TABLE, INSERT, index, view, trigger, and constraint statements.

SQL files can be inspected, edited, stored in version control, restored into a database, and transferred between computers without the original DB3 application. Compatibility depends on the target engine: SQLite, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Microsoft SQL Server use different data types, quoting rules, auto-numbering syntax, functions, and administrative commands.

How to convert a SQLite DB3 file

1. Make a backup copy and confirm that the file contains the SQLite header.
2. Install the SQLite command-line utility and check the database:
   sqlite3 input.db3 "PRAGMA integrity_check;"
sqlite3 input.db3 ".tables"
3. Generate a schema-and-data dump:
   sqlite3 input.db3 ".dump" > output.sql
4. Open output.sql and verify that the expected tables, rows, indexes, views, triggers, and constraints are present.
5. Restore the script into SQLite when needed:
   sqlite3 restored.db < output.sql

Users who do not want to install software can convert the file on 101convert.com for free and download the generated SQL file. Do not upload confidential or regulated database contents to an online converter.

How to convert a dBASE III DB3 file

1. Place the .db3 or .dbf table and its matching .dbt memo file in the same folder. Do not rename either file before import.
2. Open the table in a dBASE-compatible database program or DBF conversion utility.
3. Use Export or Save as SQL, select the destination SQL dialect, and include both table definitions and records. Export indexes or other metadata only when the target engine supports them.
4. Inspect the generated .sql file for field names, date literals, memo values, numeric precision, and character encoding before importing it.

If the source program cannot export SQL, a script can read the table with Python's dbfread package, create a staging database, insert values with parameterized statements, and export that staging database with the SQLite .dump command. This requires explicit handling of memo fields, deleted records, dBASE code pages, and dBASE-specific field types.

Compatibility and data checks

A conversion cannot preserve information that has no equivalent in the destination engine. dBASE logical, date, memo, numeric, and code-page fields may need manual type mapping. SQLite uses dynamic typing, so its declared types may not map exactly to types in MySQL or PostgreSQL.

Missing .dbt files can remove dBASE memo content. Deleted dBASE records may remain in the physical table until it is packed, and a converter may either omit or expose them depending on its settings. After import, compare row counts and check null values, dates, decimal precision, non-ASCII characters, memo fields, indexes, foreign keys, and primary-key or auto-number behavior.

A SQLite dump is not automatically a MySQL or PostgreSQL script. Before importing it into another engine, remove or rewrite SQLite-specific items such as PRAGMA statements, INSERT OR REPLACE, SQLite type declarations, and SQLite-specific auto-numbering or quoting. Review generated SQL on a test database before executing it against production data.