python dbf - add row of dict to existing file

Question

I have a dbf file with following structure...

FieldnameList(['ORDNUMB C(10) SYSTEM', 'SIDE C(1) BINARY SYSTEM', 'POSITION C(3)', 'COMPTYPE C(2)', 'COMPCODE C(6)', 'COMPCODEEX C(10) SYSTEM', 'CRIBTYPE C(2) BINARY SYSTEM', 'DIAM1 C(2)', 'DIAM2 C(2)', 'DIAM3 C(2) NULL SYSTEM', 'PRSPH C(2)', 'PRTOR C(2)'])

And Im trying to add another row to it. What i have tried many different things but i cant seem to append dict to it the way i want. The problem is it does not find ORDNUMB field so for example

table.append( {'ORDNUMB': '633','POSITION': '6', } )

doesn't work, but the

table.append( {'POSITION': '6', } )

does. In first case i get an error that field ORDNUMB cant be found.

Maybe the problem is with the field that is regarded as system ?

Answer 1

If you are using the dbf library, then the problem is that the ORDNUMB field is marked as SYSTEM -- this means that it is a hidden field and users are not allowed to update it as dbf will take care of any manipulations. For example, tables that support null values for fields have that information tracked in a _null SYSTEM field.