Exporting a database means taking a HanDBase database on your Palm Pilot and converting it into a CSV file on your Macintosh. CSV files can be imported into many other Macintosh applications, including databases such as FileMaker Pro, spreadsheets such as Excel, and the Palm Desktop software.
Getting a Database Onto Your Macintosh
The first step is to get a database onto your Macintosh. This is easy because all you have to do is HotSync, then find the copy of the database that the HotSync Manager placed on your Macintosh.If you are using version 2.1 of the Palm Desktop software, you’ll find the file in the folder "Palm Desktop : Users : <your name> : Backups : <database name>.PDB". For example, if your name is John Doe and your template database is named Auto Service, look for the file here:
  Palm Desktop
  Users
  John Doe
  Backups
  Auto Service.PDB
The Make CSV Window
To make a CSV file, use the Make CSV Window. The Make CSV window is opened automatically when you start HDM. If it’s not in front, click on it to bring it to the front.
Options
CSV Files can vary in format. Using the controls in the Options section of the window, you can control the format of the CSV file that you create:
Separator: Use this popup to choose the field separator character.
Date Format: Use this popup to choose the format for date fields.
Time Format: Use this popup to choose the format for time fields.
Field names on first line: Check this box to output the field names in the first line of the CSV file.
Quote field contents: Check this box to enclose every field in "double quotes."
Input File
Drop the database file from the Palm Pilot into the Make CSV window. If the drop is successful, the file’s name will be shown in the window.
• If the drop is not successful, then HDM does not believe that the file is a HanDBase database. Make sure you have used the correct file (there may be quite a few in the Backups folder).
• Be careful not to move the PDB file out of the Backups folder. If you drop it onto an HDM window, everything will be fine; but if you accidentally drop it into a Finder window the file may be moved there, and this could interfere with your future syncs.
Making the CSV File
When you have dropped a PDB file into the window, the Make CSV button will be enabled. Make sure that all your options are correctly set, then click the Make CSV button. This acts like a Save As command: you’ll be asked where to create the output file and what to name it. Then HDM will read the PDB file and create the output CSV file. If any errors occur, HDM will stop processing and tell you what the trouble was.
When the processing is complete, the CSV file is ready for use.
• Image fields cannot be translated by HDM, and will appear as empty fields in the output CSV file.
