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Web-enabled application help needed...
- Thread starter phita
- Start date
Mike Gagnon
Programmer
phita
These links might point you in the right direction.
Mike Gagnon
If you want to get the best response to a question, please check out FAQ184-2483 first.
These links might point you in the right direction.
Mike Gagnon
If you want to get the best response to a question, please check out FAQ184-2483 first.
Mike Lewis
Programmer
Hi Phita,
First, I would strongly suggest that you ask your client what they understand a web-based application is. They might mean that it is an app which runs on a web server and is accessible via browsers to users on the Internet. Or they might simply mean that it has to communicate in some way with existing web sites.
In other words, you need to know what the client wants. This is a fundamentally important point, and you cannot begin to design the app until you have sorted this with the client.
Assuming they want an app which actually runs on a web server, you will have to write all the functionality in the form of one or more COM objects. You will have to implement the user interface as a set of HTML pages. The HTML can communicate with the COM in several ways, of which the most common are: (i) instantiating the COM objects from a web-scripting language such as ASP or PHP; or (ii) using Microsoft's FoxISAPI (which is free with VFP) as an interface.
I have greatly simplified the explanation here. As you might have realised, it is very much a non-trivial exercise, especially if you have never done that kind of programming before.
The best souce of information I know is Rick Strahl's book, which covers just about everything you need to know on the subject. You can find more details of this book, including my review of it, on my web site (see below for URL). You sould also visit Rick's own site ( which contains a lot of useful material.
Good luck with this project. I hope you haven't quoted too a low price for it <g>.
Mike
Mike Lewis
Edinburgh, Scotland
First, I would strongly suggest that you ask your client what they understand a web-based application is. They might mean that it is an app which runs on a web server and is accessible via browsers to users on the Internet. Or they might simply mean that it has to communicate in some way with existing web sites.
In other words, you need to know what the client wants. This is a fundamentally important point, and you cannot begin to design the app until you have sorted this with the client.
Assuming they want an app which actually runs on a web server, you will have to write all the functionality in the form of one or more COM objects. You will have to implement the user interface as a set of HTML pages. The HTML can communicate with the COM in several ways, of which the most common are: (i) instantiating the COM objects from a web-scripting language such as ASP or PHP; or (ii) using Microsoft's FoxISAPI (which is free with VFP) as an interface.
I have greatly simplified the explanation here. As you might have realised, it is very much a non-trivial exercise, especially if you have never done that kind of programming before.
The best souce of information I know is Rick Strahl's book, which covers just about everything you need to know on the subject. You can find more details of this book, including my review of it, on my web site (see below for URL). You sould also visit Rick's own site ( which contains a lot of useful material.
Good luck with this project. I hope you haven't quoted too a low price for it <g>.
Mike
Mike Lewis
Edinburgh, Scotland
- Thread starter
- #4
Hi guys,
Thanks for your invaluable advice. One more things please. I have talked to the client and this is what he wants.
He operates a distribution business and has several depots. He wants the data to be centrally located on a server at the headquarters. Then the depots can access this data remotely. They shall all be running the same application (written in VFP) but extract the data via http. Is this possible, i.e. something like:
OPEN DATABASE 123.23.45.55\c\MyApp\Data\MyData
where "c" is the share name of drive C:
Thanks again.
Thanks for your invaluable advice. One more things please. I have talked to the client and this is what he wants.
He operates a distribution business and has several depots. He wants the data to be centrally located on a server at the headquarters. Then the depots can access this data remotely. They shall all be running the same application (written in VFP) but extract the data via http. Is this possible, i.e. something like:
OPEN DATABASE 123.23.45.55\c\MyApp\Data\MyData
where "c" is the share name of drive C:
Thanks again.
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