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dougerstew (Programmer)
7 Feb 12 16:03
Hi,
Is there any way to make win 7 be able to launch a foxpro 2.6 exe?  I get "the version of this file is not compatable with the version of Windows you're running".
Any help is appreciated!

Doug
TamarGranor (Programmer)
7 Feb 12 16:10
I think you'll have to do this in Windows XP mode.

Tamar
dougerstew (Programmer)
7 Feb 12 16:18
Thanks.
I was afraid of that, but noticed some other threads about using foxpro in win7, and hoped it might be possible to run an exe in win 7 too.
jrbbldr (Programmer)
7 Feb 12 18:43
As I have indicated in previous related postings, I have not tried to get FP26D or FP26W to run in Win7, but I have gotten VFP to run.  

Maybe the same configuration issues might work for FP26

See:   thread182-1669798: Foxpro 2.6 on Windows 7 home premium edition 64 bit

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr
 
DSummZZZ (Programmer)
8 Feb 12 11:55
As I mentioned in some other thread, a Fox 2.x executable will run in W7 32 bit, but not W7 64 bit.

 

  -Dave Summers-  
 cheers
Even more Fox stuff at:
http://www.davesummers.net/foxprolinks.htm

dougerstew (Programmer)
8 Feb 12 11:56
Thanks, Dave.  XP mode it is!
jrbbldr (Programmer)
8 Feb 12 12:07
Dave - Again I'll admit that I have not tried to make this combination of environmental issues work together, but won't an FP26 (32-bit) executable work in a Win7 64-bit environment if you set the FP-EXE's Compatibility mode to 32-bit (or XP Compatible) within the specific EXE's Properties?

If that's what you mean by using 'XP Mode' then I apologize for the redundancy of my question.

Some individuals have been going through the effort of setting up virtual XP mode's within their Win7 system to run VFP EXE's and that is what I thought you might have been referring to - since I found that to not be necessary.

JRB-Bldr
 
dougerstew (Programmer)
8 Feb 12 12:25
I was refering to that.  When I right click on the shortcut to the exe, the compatibility tab has everything greyed out, so I can't change the settings.   
jrbbldr (Programmer)
8 Feb 12 15:57
Have you done all that I recommended in:  thread182-1669798: Foxpro 2.6 on Windows 7 home premium edition 64 bit

It sounds as though you may not have appropriate permissions.

Specifically from that list of recommended changes, have you tried turning off the Win7 UAC?

And are you doing this from a Windows logon user with Administrative rights?

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr

 
dougerstew (Programmer)
8 Feb 12 16:10
no i haven't.   I am logged onto the pc with administrative privileges.  
  * Turn UAC OFF  - what is UAC?
  * Configure EXE as 32-bit (or XP Compatibility)- How do you do this?
  * Use 32-bit drivers for ODBC using ...\SysWOW64\odbcad32.exe
How do you do this?  I've never used odbc when creating an exe file.

Sorry for my ignorance.

 
danfreeman (Programmer)
8 Feb 12 17:33
Haven't been paying much attention for the last 10 years, have you? smile

All of those are Windows issues. Nothing specifically to do with Foxpro.

Go get Doug Hennig's article about developing for Windows Vista:

http://www.stonefield.com/techpap.aspx

(It should really say "Vista and later" but "later" didn't exist yet.)

That should get you started.
dougerstew (Programmer)
8 Feb 12 17:35
ok, thanks.  I'll check it out.
 
jrbbldr (Programmer)
8 Feb 12 22:32
The Windows issues are not related specifically to Foxpro itself, but they DO affect how (or even IF) older applications (many of different kinds of them) will run in a Win7 64-bit system.

You can investigate the How To's by looking into the following...

From Doug Hennig's web page referenced above pay particular attention to:
   Developing VFP Applications for Windows Vista
What is needed for Vista is applicable to Win7

Also you can....
* Turn UAC OFF  
   Do a Google Search for:  Turn UAC Off Win7

Configure EXE as 32-bit (or XP Compatibility)
   Do a Google Search for: set 32-compatibility mode win7

Use 32-bit drivers for ODBC using ...\SysWOW64\odbcad32.exe
   You only need to do this one if your FP application is using ODBC drivers to access non-FP data tables in an 'alien' database such as SQL Server, MySQL, Informix, ext.
   If not, then it is not necessary.
   If so, do a Google Search for: 32-bit odbc win7

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr
 
DSummZZZ (Programmer)
10 Feb 12 13:08

Quote (jrbbldr):

Dave - Again I'll admit that I have not tried to make this combination of environmental issues work together, but won't an FP26 (32-bit) executable work in a Win7 64-bit environment if you set the FP-EXE's Compatibility mode to 32-bit (or XP Compatible) within the specific EXE's Properties?

I tried setting the compatibility mode on W7-64 bit and no matter what we tried, it kept telling me the version was incompatible.  
I had admin privileges on that machine.  We ended up purchasing W7 32 bit for it.
Admittedly, the executable is Foxprow Windows 2.5 so I don't know if a 2.6 app would work or not.  Our policy now though is "Don't buy a computer with the 64 bit OS until we have a chance to rewrite the app in VFP"
 

  -Dave Summers-  
 cheers
Even more Fox stuff at:
http://www.davesummers.net/foxprolinks.htm

jrbbldr (Programmer)
10 Feb 12 17:11
Don't buy a computer with the 64 bit OS until we have a chance to rewrite the app in VFP

Wise decision...

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr
 
dougerstew (Programmer)
10 Feb 12 18:04
does it matter what version of vfp you get?
jrbbldr (Programmer)
11 Feb 12 9:54
At this point in time, there is only 1 version of VFP that I would consider purchasing - VFP9.

There is no point in paying for an older version when you can get VFP9 and its enhanced features.

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr
 
dougerstew (Programmer)
11 Feb 12 10:18
Thanks for all the input.  Is there a steep learning curve, or is it possible to easily convert the existing 2.6 files?
jrbbldr (Programmer)
11 Feb 12 17:35
FP2.6 code itself will run un-modified in VFP9.  
By that I mean that the code syntax is 100% usable in VFP9 - although now there are more commands/functions available to use.
And much of the FP2.6 code will run without modifications in VFP9.

That being said, in order to get the majority of the VFP9 benefits, it might be good (not essential) to re-develop the application using the newer OOP, class-oriented VFP approach.

Additionally instead of using the old Screens, Menus, & Report methodology, VFP uses a newer 21st century-appearing approach which gets rid of the old appearance, etc.

A few specific general notes:
 * FP Screens become VFP Forms
 * FP Screen snippets become VFP Form Methods (where the code goes Load, Init, When, Valid, Release, Unload, etc. Form methods) and use VFP Form Designer not the Wizard.
 * FP @Row,Col <whatever> Menus and Reports become VFP Menus & VFP Report Forms (also use the associated VFP designers to create NOT Wizards).

I generally recommend that individuals new to VFP should spend some time watching the free on-line VFP tutorial videos at:
   http://www.garfieldhudson.com/FreeVideos.aspx

And if/when you encounter challenges you can always post a question to the VFP language-specific area of this forum.
   Microsoft: Visual FoxPro Forum
       forum184: Microsoft: Visual FoxPro

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr
 
danfreeman (Programmer)
12 Feb 12 13:06

Quote:

Is there a steep learning curve, or is it possible to easily convert the existing 2.6 files?

There is a learning curve with any new product and VFP is best approached as if it were a new product when coming from 2.x.

There is a converter. That is the best I can say of it. There is one.

When converted, FP 2.x screens result in forms of a special class that cannot be created from scratch and carry behaviors that cannot be conjured from scratch. You'll need to turn off Windows Themes which immediately makes your application look different from every other Windows application. You will spend more time working around quirky behaviors than you would creating a new form from scratch in the first place.

That said, I've known many who convert and run the converted code unchanged until they need to touch/enhance a part of the system at which time they rewrite only those parts of the system. It can be used as a crutch. I've also known people who run their generated SPR files as PRG files in VFP until they get around to building new forms to replace them.

Your mileage may vary.

Just be aware that if questions arise in your converted forms and you come here for help you should clearly spell out "THIS IS A CONVERTED FORM". Most of us haven't used them much and won't take that as a default consideration.
jrbbldr (Programmer)
12 Feb 12 23:27
There is a converter. That is the best I can say of it. There is one.

I agree.

But I don't really recommend using it.

If you do choose to use it you will not have learned why/how it did what it did so your ability to modify code after that is severely limited.

I also agree with Dan above in that it would be best for you to enter the VFP world as though it were a totally new language that needs to be learned.  

The very fortunate part is that the code commands & functions that you are already familiar with will work 'as is'.  

But even if it should work, it would likely not be optimized to use VFP functionality.

The tutorials I suggested might help in getting started.

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr
 
dougerstew (Programmer)
16 Feb 12 18:25
okay I will do some looking into getting 9.0 and learning how to use it.  in the meantime, I've installed xp mode on the machine in question, and everything works until it's time to print.  It prints but shrinks the font size.  I haven't done anything to the files at all.  Any idea why the font is different in xp mode than it is on a regular xp box?  Sorry to switch the subject.
danfreeman (Programmer)
17 Feb 12 19:19
A new question usually needs a new thread just to get more eyes on the question at hand.

ISTR this is a known issue but it doesn't have anything to do with the thread title so the people that know the answer won't know to look here.
dougerstew (Programmer)
17 Feb 12 19:35
okay, i'll look into this and if I can't find the answer I will ask a new question,.
Thanks!
dougerstew (Programmer)
24 Apr 12 19:08
okay, i've been living with xp mode, but now am getting a new laptop that is win 7 64 bit.  Does anyone know if I can legally purchase an upgrade version of visual foxpro 9.0, or do I need to buy the full version?
jrbbldr (Programmer)
24 Apr 12 22:43
That's the third different-topic question under a single Posting question topic.

1. Is there any way to make win 7 be able to launch a foxpro 2.6 exe
2. Any idea why the font is different in xp mode than it is on a regular xp box?
3. Does anyone know if I can legally purchase an upgrade version of visual foxpro 9.0, or do I need to buy the full version?


Regardless, you would be best to ask your VFP (as opposed to FP) question at:
     Microsoft: Visual FoxPro Forum
     forum184: Microsoft: Visual FoxPro

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr
 

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