Problem opening DBF files

[mpsaris-weis]

Hi,

I regularly get updated shapefiles from a data provider, and run a batch Alteryx process to merge and save these shapefiles in a Calgary database for querying later. This latest batch of shapefiles will not import properly into Alteryx. While the spatial components work, the attribute table is not read correctly. The field names are wrong, and none of the cell values are legible. I first thought this meant that the shapefile is corrupt, so I requested our data service provider to send us another copy of the shapefiles. Unfortunately, they're having the same problem. The odd thing is, I can open each individual shapefile just fine in QGIS, and I can open the DBF file just fine in MS Excel. I can also open all other shapefiles just fine in Alteryx. So I cannot really tell where the problem lies. If anyone has any ideas for how to import the shapefiles (or more specifically, the DBF files) correctly into Alteryx, I'd love to hear them!

Thanks!

~Mike

[Philip]

If you are merging based on field names, I'd check to make sure no spaces have been added. If merging by location, I'd make sure the new shapefile's DBF field orders are the same.

It's hard to make any inferences beyond that without the original files.

[mpsaris-weis · Accepted solution]

Thanks Philip. Our data supplier provided a third copy of the data, which solved the problem. I guess the first two datasets were just corrupt.

Thanks!