Converting Chess Base DB to pgn format

I've been using ChessBase 9 for years and the BIG DB 2011 I bought for it is currently up-to-date thanks to TWIC. Recently, based on advice and/or comments from IMpfren and a few other members who seemed to know what they were talking about I've downloaded SCID and would like to see how it works - with my BIG DB of 5.5 million games loaded into it, in pgn format which appears to be a "forced move" as far as I can tell as that's the format SCID works with - not ChessBase proprietary formats.

Apparently CB automatically converts pgn files to its proprietary format which is supposed to use about 86% less HD space according to CB. BUT, I'm still clueless as to how to do this operation in reverse. 

I've haphazardly tried looking this up without much success and have often suggested others use seach engines to look stuff up, but this one has stumped me so far. If anyone can give me a workable solution I'll give them a copy of my BIG DB if they want it (presuming it can be emailed as an attachment I guess)

Right up front, this is a long shot. I've never used CB, but I have an old copy of Fritz, maybe they work similarly.

Open a database, then "select all" (However you have to do that. In Fritz, you have to right-click somewhere in the database window, then click on "Edit", then click on "Select all".) With all the records selected (highlighted), right-click in the highlighted area, click on "Output", then click on "Selection to Textfile...", then click on the "Format" tab, click on the "PGN" button, then click "OK".

Or something like that.

THANKS - I got as far as "output" but there was no "selection to txtfile" in ChessBase 9 BUT I also have F12 and will see if your suggestion works in it

You can also create an empty db with the .pgn extension. I use notepad for this.

Drag and drop the BigDB contents into the pgn db, and it will convert automatically.

At least this works for me. Hopefully the great size won't be a stumbling block.

For the record both Chessbase and SCID can work with PGN files, but they both have their own (quite different!) native database formats.  PGN is the way to transfer games between the two programs, so you are doing the right thing, but when you use them in SCID you will *definitely* want to convert the PGN to a proper SCID formatted database (same reasons--MUCH faster, smaller, more efficient, etc.).

Wow great! It really helped me to manage my data base thanks!

I use ChessBase 14 for this operation. I will assume your ChessBase database is in a particular folder.

1. Right click your mouse in the white space in the folder. 

2. Select New Database... from the pop-up menu

3. You will then see another menu with two items:  a) File Name  b) Save as Type

4. Create a file name 

5. In the Save as Type bar you will see a DOWN ARROW at the far right. Left click it and you will get another drop-down menu. One of them is PGN. Select that one. 

6. Now select CREATE NEW

7. Finally drag your ChessBase database over the new PGN database. All files will be automatically changed into PGN

There, that's the recipe!

You will of course lose various information when you make this conversion, simply because it is specific to Chessbase, or because it isn't well supported by PGN.

I'm all for you trying SCID or SCID vs PC. Personally, I wouldn't make the move, but YMMV and the price is certainly right. I use to many of the Chessbase features, and I strongly dislike the SCID vs PC interface.