DBFREAD.EXE
Manual.                                                 S.J. Spoelstra

This utility allows to create Portfolio out of addresslists from databases 
made by DBASE3 or clones (Clipper, Foxbase, PC GEN, Quicksilver, DBXL Diamond, 
VPinfo, Genifer etc.) 
For DBASE programmers, it is an easy task to create a textfile, suitable for
the Portfolio (normal textfile, with double carriage return to separate the
addresses. However, there might be Portfolio users who:

A.     think entering 100 addresses on their portfilio is stupid;
B.     can obtain a .DBF address database that contains those addresses,
       for instance at the company tehy work for.
C.     don't want to learn to program in DBASE just for this problem.

Another problem is that these .DBF databases often contain much more data
than what's interesting for the Portfolio ADDRESSBOOK, that the sequence
is different, and that the phone numbers are not written according to
the american system (city number between brackets).
The user must decide what data he needs and the sequence he wants it:
DBFREAD cannot 'know' what the last name is, if extra data should be added, etc.
enz. Operation isn't difficult:

1      Copy DBFREAD.EXE and the .DBF file (an example has been included:
       MEMBERS.DBF) to a PC.
2      Start DBFREAD.
3      Enter the full name of the database (including .DBF). If rading doesn't
       work, then the name might be misspelled, or it isn't a DBASE-3
       compatible database. DBASE-3 databases always have a '3' as first
       character of the file.
4      When the read is successful, a list with all available FIELDS shows up.
       There can be many; DBFread allows 128 maximal (DBASE3 too).
       Select the fields of interest in the sequence required.
       In the sample database MEMBERS.DBF you probably want to start with the
       last name LNAME.
4      So you choose number 2. This automatically shows in in front on the
       first line. Next, you want the first name FNAME.
5      You choose number 3. Next you're asked on which line you want it:
6      line 1. On the same line, you also want to add the phone number
       (otherwise, ADDRESSBOOK cannot dial the number automatically).
7      Thus you choose HOME_PHON and WORK_PHON: all of this must be on line 1.
       The rest of the address go to other lines, so choose:
8      4 {STREET} 2 {2e line} 5 {CITY} 3 {3e line} 6 {STATE} 4 7 {ZIP} 4 
       and 0 to exit.
9      Next, enter the name of the address book file, including .ADR, 
       for example MEMBERS.ADR.
10     DBFREAD will read all records, converts them and writes them down.

A big .DBF database will cause a big .ADR file; for a normal, Dutch
address it is about 80 bytes. 
Because Portfolio memory is expensive, it is a good idea to select before
the data is converted.
Editing the .ADR file afterwards is of course possible too, but that is
more work.