MEM File – What is .mem file and how to open it?

MEM File Definition

A MEM file is a FoxPro Variable File used by FoxPro, a database management system developed by Microsoft. It contains variable data, such as constants, arrays, macros, and function definitions, that can be used within FoxPro programs. MEM files allow developers to share and reuse common variables across multiple programs, promoting code efficiency and consistency. These files are typically ASCII-encoded text files with a .MEM extension.

Technical Details of MEM Files

MEM files consist of a series of statements that define and initialize variables. These statements follow a specific syntax and grammar, ensuring compatibility with FoxPro’s programming language. Each statement typically consists of a variable name, an assignment operator, and a value or expression. For example, the following statement assigns the value “John Doe” to the variable “customerName”:


customerName = "John Doe"


MEM files also support the use of comments, which can be used to document the purpose and usage of specific variables. Comments start with a single or double forward slash and extend to the end of the line:


// This variable stores the customer's name
customerName = "John Doe"


By utilizing MEM files, developers can modularize their code, organize variable definitions, and share reusable data across multiple FoxPro programs. This approach simplifies program maintenance and enhances code reusability, contributing to efficient database development practices.

Opening MEM Files

MEM files are typically associated with FoxPro, a discontinued database management system developed by Microsoft. These files store saved variable states, allowing the user to load and reuse variables in multiple sessions.

To open a MEM file, you will need a compatible application such as FoxPro or other programming tools that can read and manipulate FoxPro data formats. However, since FoxPro is no longer actively supported, alternative methods may be necessary.

One option is to use a file converter to convert the MEM file into a more accessible format. For example, the MEM2FOX utility enables the conversion of MEM files to FOX format, which can be opened in FoxPro or other compatible applications. Additionally, some text editors may allow you to view the contents of the MEM file, though formatting and functionality may be limited.

FoxPro Variable File (.MEM)

The .MEM file extension is associated with the FoxPro programming language. FoxPro is a database management system and programming language that was developed by Microsoft. The .MEM file extension is used to store variable files in FoxPro. Variable files contain data that can be used by FoxPro programs. The data in a variable file can include variables, constants, and arrays.

Variable files are typically used to store data that is shared by multiple FoxPro programs. For example, a variable file might contain the connection information for a database server. By storing the connection information in a variable file, it can be easily shared by all of the FoxPro programs that need to access the database server.

Other Extensions