As an option to the processing possibilities of this function, the exchange lists can also be created and processed with the help of any other programs being able to read and write dBASE files. This method is recommended in case of more important modifications because programs such as Microsoft Office Excel® have been optimized with regard to working with lists.

First, you can create a new list in this function to obtain the internal names. Then, you save these names as dBASE file which is processed with the help of the foreign program and re-import the file into ProSteel afterwards to save the list in the internal *.exm format. Please note that this list has to be available as *.exm file for use with ProSteel.

Data Fields of dBASE File

The dBASE-file has to contain the following fields, which in general are chains of signs. The fields 0-5 are absolutely necessary, the fields 6,7 etc. can be used as an option.

Since the dBASE-file only has a sequential structure of data records, whereas the exchange lists are organized in a tree structure, this tree structure has to be simulated by means of group-lines. Group lines only contain the fields 0-2, shape or material lines contain only the fields 0 and 3,4,...