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A long lost programmer - To return or not to return ??? 1

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josel

josel

Programmer
Oct 16, 2001
716
US
Howdy!

Long ago I programmed using DB II, DB III, DB IV, Clipper and FoxBase.

None of these may necessarily be what VFP is now but I some how feel surprised to find FoxPro is alive and with what appears to be a healthy community.

I must admit that I've allowed myself to fall behind as far as my chosen programming environment (I use character based programming tools in UNIX/LINUX based platforms).

I gather that version 8 is the latest version. Could you please offer your 2 cents on the following:

Q. What is the latest version?
Q. Is VFP here to stay? - Where can I learn more?
Q. What other medium are there besides this forum?
Q. Can you recommend a good learning/tutorial site?
Q. Is VFP strong enough for commercial applications?

Thank you all in advance for your kind replies!


Jose Lerebours


KNOWLEDGE: Something you can give away endlessly and gain more of it in the process! - Jose Lerebours
 
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Q. What is the latest version?
Version 8. Version 9 is in the late stages of beta and expected to be released before the end of the year.

Q. Is VFP here to stay? - Where can I learn more?
I've heard some say that VFP 9 is the end of the road, others that it will continue for many years. Microsoft has not said, but rumor is its demise have existed for years and it's still here. However, Microsoft has commited to supporting Fox through at least 2010. msdn.microsoft.com/vfoxpro is the official VFP site.

Q. What other medium are there besides this forum?
fox.wikis.com
opentech.leafe.com
Microsoft newsgroups

Q. Can you recommend a good learning/tutorial site?
There really isn't one. The best thing is to go to and get books. You should start with "THe Fundamentals" then branch out from there.

Don't forget magazines, FoxPro Advisor ( or FoxTalk 2.0 (
Q. Is VFP strong enough for commercial applications?
Yes. I know of several commercial apps written in VFP. I've worked on some myself.



Craig Berntson
MCSD, Visual FoxPro MVP, Author, CrysDev: A Developer's Guide to Integrating Crystal Reports"
 
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Craig,

Thanks so much for your informative reply. I just bought a copy of VFP 8. I think it is worth the money I paid to look into it further.

Regards;


Jose Lerebours


KNOWLEDGE: Something you can give away endlessly and gain more of it in the process! - Jose Lerebours
 
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Jose,
Welcome back. Other than Clipper, I started the same, but continued on with FP1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 2.0, 2.5 DOS and Windows, 2.6 D&W, VFP 3.0, 5.0, 6.0, 7.0, and 8.0 (and 9.0 beta)!

The latest version is VFp 8.0 SP1, and VFP 9.0 is due to be release by the end of this year. (The feature set is being worked on for '10' already!)

It's here to stay for at least another 10 years - MS has clearly stated that at [ln];LifeDevToolFam. VFP 8.0 will be supported utill 2013, and presumably 9.0 till 2015!

I also still answer questions on FP 2.x (both DOS and Windows) almost daily, so if we consider that the last time any of these were updated was back in 1994, they've already exceeded 10 years and many continue to use them! (Just today I answered a question on using FPD under XP SP2.)

There are many other help forums both web based and on news servers, and you can get to most of the information through Google.

I'd check with your local user group - there are many around the US and the world. There are also a number of Conferences around the world - let us know where you are and better recommendations can be made. There are also a number of great books at
Absolutely - there are hundreds if not thousands of commercial VFP app. And depending on your data needs, you can use VFP databases or even SQL server (and a number of other alternatives) - VFP is a great front-end for any data store.

For more information go to the MS VFP site ( or the UT ( - check the articles, User Groups, Meeting and conference links and don't for get to check the Applications link to see a list that's prtetty impressive (and many of us haven't added our applications there!).

Rick
 
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Jose,

Just to add to what the others have said.

VFP might not be the best known development platform, but it is used by some of the world's largest and most important organisations.

Many parts of the US military are heavy VFP users, as are a very large number of law enforcement agencies in the USA and elsewhere. It is used for critical applications in several agencies of the UN, and in many US federal, state and local government agencies.

Of course, it's also widely used by small commercial outfits, and even tiny companies like my own. My point is that, regardless of the numbers, it has very influential user base, and there are strong vested interests in keeping to alive.

The other thing to keep in mind is that, even is Microsoft decided not to bring out any further versions, it will be around for a very long time. After all, there are companies still using pre-Visual versions of Foxpro, despite the fact that these haven't been "officially" supported for around ten year.

I hope this helps you decide what to do. Above all, remember to come back here any time you have any questions on VFP.

Mike

Mike Lewis
Edinburgh, Scotland

My Visual Foxpro web site: My Crystal Reports web site:
 
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Since you come from the Linux community, see thread184-575254 and thread184-775996. Interesting with many viewpoints. It mentions Linux' WINE can run VFP but naturally MS doesn't want the runtime apps to run on non-Windows platforms, so see this link too for comments about that. Wouldn't it be nice to have programs that are platform-independent along the likes of Java?
 
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Java? You mean Write Once, Debug Everywhere? Java is not the be all, cure all that Sun wants you to think it is. I have two Java apps that I "attempt" to run. They each use a version of Java runtime that is incompatable with the other. I can run one or the other, but not both.

Craig Berntson
MCSD, Visual FoxPro MVP, Author, CrysDev: A Developer's Guide to Integrating Crystal Reports"
 
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WOW!

You guys really make me feel right at home. I love this group already. As I mentioned, I already ordered a copy of VFP 8 and can't wait to get it.

I have an application written in a little known program named filePro ( Like most of us feel about our work, I believe I have an application that is second to none for its nitche market (Floor Covering).

I have functionality and stability but I am missing that "wow" effect you get with graphical applications. My application is user friendly and very robust but it looks too "flat" as some have called it. Also, it is complex to integrate with MS famility of product and that makes it hard to sell at times.

I am very excited and anxious to start "again" and reproduce my application in VFP. This does sound like a long term project but I am only 37 so, I have plenty of time.

Thank you all for your warm welcome!


Jose Lerebours


KNOWLEDGE: Something you can give away endlessly and gain more of it in the process! - Jose Lerebours
 
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Jose,
Good to meet you here!
I once started to write my first code in dB2 somewhere in 1986 using a MSX-computer.
Following the line : dB3, dB3+ and Clipper I ended up in the first OOP area. (VFP3)
I'm not a professional skilled programmer but one who learned most by practise by teaching yourself and with help of many professionals in here and in other forums.
So I can say that using VFP is the right choice for you as you can reuse very much of the good old xBase languages.
Although we almost face version 9 right now I still would advice you to buy the book : 1001 things you always wanted to know about VFP6.
It realy teaches you enormously. (I'm no salesman of Hentzenwerke but it's just the truth....).
At Hentzenwerke you also may download some chapters of other books which might be usefull to make a choice on buying and thus enlarge your VFP-knowledge.

-Bart
 
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Josel,

With no offense to the other forums out there, this forum has served me best on all VFP levels. (I'm a meager yet dedicated physician-programmer)

I personally don't think you need to go any of the others.

Of course I may be wrong.

Also, VFP help files, foundation classes, samples, and the included Tastrade sample, are great starting points.

Philip
 
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