>>I have a potential client that has data locked up in an existing system, >>and I only get the sale if I can read his existing data.
>

>>Is this a one-off conversion or do you need continuing access to changing >>data (i.e. will the current application continue to be used)? If it's a >>one-off can you get enough by outputting reports to a text file and >>parsing it?

It's a one of, but they client insists that there is no option to output to disk in any format.

>>Do you know what language was used to develop the existing app? If so >>you'd at least have a starting point in discovering the format.

>>Have you tried contacting the authors of the current app? If their >>application is still being used they may be happy to help. If you're >>replacing their application then it's legally arguable that the data >>belongs to the client IAC (assuming it was entered by them)

Client is clear that the data is theirs, however they are not on good terms with existing supplier (hence reason for move) and do not want us to contact them.

>>The data is arranged in a number of files (like free tables), there is >>some ASCII and some binary data in each (although I can not see that there >>is a header using HexEdit, but I assume there must be)
>
>>Lots of file formats (e.g. std VB IO) will not have any header information.

Does that mean you need to "know" the fields in order to read? or are they stored elsewhere?


Thanks for the input


Gary.