Tek-Tips is the largest IT community on the Internet today!
Members share and learn making Tek-Tips Forums the best source of peer-reviewed technical information on the Internet!
-
Congratulations Rhinorhino on being selected by the Tek-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!
Does SQL 2000 have a front End facility as VFP 1
- Thread starter tatin
- Start date
Mike Lewis
Programmer
Tatin,
I assume you are referring to Microsoft SQL Server? If so, it has several front end tools. The first two mentioned below should be available from your start menu (assuming you elected to install 'client tools' at install time):
- Enterprise Manager. A point-and-click interface, designed for administrators.
- Query Analyzer. Similar to VFP's command window; lets you enter commands for immediate execution.
- OSQL. A primitive command-line utility, useful if all else fails.
Note that none of these tools are designed for creating applications. SQL Server is not an application development tool. Most people use VFP, VB or something similar for development.
Does that answer your question?
Mike
Mike Lewis
Edinburgh, Scotland
My Visual Foxpro web site: My Crystal Reports web site:
I assume you are referring to Microsoft SQL Server? If so, it has several front end tools. The first two mentioned below should be available from your start menu (assuming you elected to install 'client tools' at install time):
- Enterprise Manager. A point-and-click interface, designed for administrators.
- Query Analyzer. Similar to VFP's command window; lets you enter commands for immediate execution.
- OSQL. A primitive command-line utility, useful if all else fails.
Note that none of these tools are designed for creating applications. SQL Server is not an application development tool. Most people use VFP, VB or something similar for development.
Does that answer your question?
Mike
Mike Lewis
Edinburgh, Scotland
My Visual Foxpro web site: My Crystal Reports web site:
- Thread starter
- #3
-
1
- #4
The client tools are not designed for end users, but for developers and administrators. You'll need to create a front end data entry program with VFP.
Craig Berntson
MCSD, Visual FoxPro MVP, Author, CrysDev: A Developer's Guide to Integrating Crystal Reports"
Craig Berntson
MCSD, Visual FoxPro MVP, Author, CrysDev: A Developer's Guide to Integrating Crystal Reports"
- Thread starter
- #5
Craig,
Thanks. Actually, I am going to install a 120 day evaluation copy of SQL Server 7 this weekend to begin experimenting with VFP interfaces. I would love to know some of the differences between working with flat files .dbf and DB Servers.
Will I still be able to run the the following commands or do I have to copy the Server's data to my local machine in a .dbf before I can use it. Or, does my data comes in as a cursor which I can use. Then comes the question. I can't INDEX on a cursor. What about commands such as PACK. What are their relevance in a Client/server environment?
Thanks. Actually, I am going to install a 120 day evaluation copy of SQL Server 7 this weekend to begin experimenting with VFP interfaces. I would love to know some of the differences between working with flat files .dbf and DB Servers.
Will I still be able to run the the following commands or do I have to copy the Server's data to my local machine in a .dbf before I can use it. Or, does my data comes in as a cursor which I can use. Then comes the question. I can't INDEX on a cursor. What about commands such as PACK. What are their relevance in a Client/server environment?
Working in SQL Server is quite different from VFP. There is no SEEK, SCAN, LOCATE, GO TOP, etc. Everything will be using SQL commands. Start thinking of working with sets of data instead of the entire table.
You can access the data in a couple of ways. 1) ODBC, which will return a VFP cursor. This can be done with SQL Pass Through (SPT), remote views, or CursorAdapter. 2) OLE DB, which will return a record set if used directly or a VFP cursor if used through the CursorAdapter.
You won't pack SQL Server...data is stored differently than VFP. No need to pack.
Instead of a trial version, why not get SQL Server 2000, Developer Edition for $50.
I recommend you read the VFP documentation on client/server and the VFP articles on at mdsn.com/library
Craig Berntson
MCSD, Visual FoxPro MVP, Author, CrysDev: A Developer's Guide to Integrating Crystal Reports"
You can access the data in a couple of ways. 1) ODBC, which will return a VFP cursor. This can be done with SQL Pass Through (SPT), remote views, or CursorAdapter. 2) OLE DB, which will return a record set if used directly or a VFP cursor if used through the CursorAdapter.
You won't pack SQL Server...data is stored differently than VFP. No need to pack.
Instead of a trial version, why not get SQL Server 2000, Developer Edition for $50.
I recommend you read the VFP documentation on client/server and the VFP articles on at mdsn.com/library
Craig Berntson
MCSD, Visual FoxPro MVP, Author, CrysDev: A Developer's Guide to Integrating Crystal Reports"
- Thread starter
- #7
Thanks alot Craig.
I am not so rich as yet, very poor guy. Will purchase SQL 2000 after I have become comfortable with this new data access method. Your post was of great help. However, the VFP help on Client/server seem to be making assumptions that I don't match. I will try the articles you mentioned.
Thanks.
I am not so rich as yet, very poor guy. Will purchase SQL 2000 after I have become comfortable with this new data access method. Your post was of great help. However, the VFP help on Client/server seem to be making assumptions that I don't match. I will try the articles you mentioned.
Thanks.
Mike Lewis
Programmer
Tatin,
Craig has already given you some good advice. I would add that the design philosophy of a SQL Server-based application is somewhat different from one using a VFP back end. There are also many fundamental differences in the detail.
On the other hand, there are some substantial benefits in using SQL Server as a back end. Personally, I am very glad I took the effort to learn it; it has paid me back many times over.
If you are still at the experimenting and learning stage, my advice would be to install the 120-day eval, and to learn as much as you can during that time. There's a lot of information available to help you. By the time you have done that, you will be in a good position to judge whether you want to go further with it.
And don't forget, you can always come back here if you have any questions.
Mike
Mike Lewis
Edinburgh, Scotland
My Visual Foxpro web site: My Crystal Reports web site:
Craig has already given you some good advice. I would add that the design philosophy of a SQL Server-based application is somewhat different from one using a VFP back end. There are also many fundamental differences in the detail.
On the other hand, there are some substantial benefits in using SQL Server as a back end. Personally, I am very glad I took the effort to learn it; it has paid me back many times over.
If you are still at the experimenting and learning stage, my advice would be to install the 120-day eval, and to learn as much as you can during that time. There's a lot of information available to help you. By the time you have done that, you will be in a good position to judge whether you want to go further with it.
And don't forget, you can always come back here if you have any questions.
Mike
Mike Lewis
Edinburgh, Scotland
My Visual Foxpro web site: My Crystal Reports web site:
- Status
Similar threads
