Know VF - Visual FoxPro

Boe.com Article Resource News Links About US Article Title Visual FoxPro Works Source BoE Data Network Studio Creation Date 2001 February 23 last Update 2002 July 21/05/201,280 word Author Copyright statement of the works is copyrighted by the BoE Data Network Studio - Detail Description As the most flexible and most powerful database management system in the market, Visual FoxPro has a long and brilliant development history. It starts to start Fox Software's FoxBase products, "Fox" (this is an international programming industry to her reputation) A reliable, convenient and efficient programmer's database products are famous. There is no product in the world that is like Visual FoxPro, she is unique! Directory preface Visual FoxPro is what Visual FoxPro is outdated? Object-oriented and process arguments for records and gathered competition products positioning leads to Visual FoxPro change is not easy to feel. Microsoft should use Visual FoxPro as a three-layer architecture (or multi-layer architecture). Visual FoxPro can only be limited to the development of desktop applications? Do not think that Visual FoxPro is "low-end products", regardless of the database (DBF Base) ) Quality or development environment Evaluation Visual FoxPro, it is a "high-end tool" Visual FoxPro language seems to be OOP not only refers to "object-oriented" development environment, but also a development idea, development technology, Visual FoxPro What is the interface ability of Visual FoxPro is really bad? Visual FoxPro and OLE DB, Adovisual FoxPro is a historic product, many users are from FoxBase to FoxPro to Visual FoxPro, step by step. . History has more accumulated, and the bogies in history are also heavy - many programmers often seize the new features of the old products, this is a comparative Visual FoxPro from Visual FoxPro from Visual FoxPro from Visual FoxPro from Visual FoxPro from Visual FoxPro from Visual FoxPro, Sorrow. STUDIO has been separated. We have lost what Visual FoxPro and .Net objectively, it is conducive to the development of Visual FoxPro independently faces Challenge Visual FoxPro 7 characteristic GMB Event XML and Web Servicecom and COM Install Shield Express for Visual FoxProvisual FoxPro 7 SP1 Our Visual FoxPro 8 I have seen Visual FoxPro 8 New Features Microsoft's Positioning of Visual FoxPro 8 Will not be .NET Language I expect to choose Visual FoxPro 8 This article It can be said that it is a Boe data network studio's work. Its start is started from the 2000 National Day, and it is written until the Lunar Spring Festival in that year, it has completed the first draft ... Later I have revised it, calculated in this version in April 2002, it should be the fourth edition ! At the beginning, the motivation I wrote this article is: calm expression my point of view. As a programmer of Visual FoxPro is often questioned by others, even refutes, bitterness, I am not a person who is good at tongue, and I don't dare to commit "anger."

So I used the keyboard to tap some text, express my understanding of Visual FoxPro, expressing the views of various problems ... In the past two years, I have had a lot of changes in myself: I have been in contact with the relationship of work. A lot of other development tools, including everyone is familiar with Delphi, also have domestic Rapid Plus, InTouch, Insql, Intruck. I have experienced all kinds, I have experienced a lot, I think I have more competent to complete this article, I hope to stand on the fair position to see Visual FoxPro, not the criticism of the society, despise the fans, and more fans "The world I am Boss's mind! I hope everyone can feel the maturity and progress of BOE in the article. Netizens especially like this article, I know that Fans in FOX can resonate here. In fact, I will sum up this article is to sum up the topic of us. I will go straight to fine, go to fake ... last spring Visual FoxPro 7 Formal issuance, many foxes are waiting for Simplified Chinese version, unfortunately, Microsoft does not have Chinese. I think that there is no need to use the Simplified Chinese version of Visual FoxPro 7, the reason: Function, the Chinese version is exactly the same as the English version; the IDE of Visual FoxPro 7 has no difference with the previous version, so users who are familiar with Visual FoxPro Say, there will be no obstacles in use; then the Help file, Visual FoxPro 7 comes with a complete, independent English version, and the Chinese Visual FoxPro 6 Help is integrated in the msdn, which is very unparalleled. How to Chinese, the general fox fans is not installed, so help, for friends who are not familiar with English, English Visual FoxPro 7 is the same; Visual FoxPro 7 is from all aspects, all Non-Visual FoxPro 6 is comparable, upgrade development tools are inevitable. So, I hope you, upgrade to Visual FoxPro 7! Visual FoxPro is what is the most flexible and powerful database management system in the market, and Visual FoxPro has a long and brilliant development history. It is started to start Fox Software's FoxBase product, "Fox" (this is an international programming industry to its name) A reliable, convenient and efficient programmer's database product is famous. There is no product in the world running like Visual FoxPro, it is unique! Many people are in the service of Visual FoxPro, but I can't say anything. Let us know it along its development track! This will make you have a more deep understanding of it. FoxPro is affiliated with a DBMS category called XBase. XBase This term is very common, he represents a language such as FoxPro, DBaseiii Plus, DBASEIV, FoxBase , and Arago. XBase initially originated from a large machine used DBMS, this DBMS called JPLDIS (injection promotion laboratory database management and information retrieval system). This DBMS was developed by Americans Jeb Long in 1972. Developers and programmers currently have prepared tens of millions of XBase codes. Dating back to the end of the 1980s, FoxBase is a DBASE cloning system. As long as you work in dbaseiii, FoxBase can do better.

Although FoxBase has certain new features, it doesn't have a truly significant technical breakthrough, just to run faster and better, but more importantly it is compatible with DBaseiiii. FoxPro 1.0 first deviates from the principle of compatibility. It starts to adopt new ideas in the design and software development methods of the graphical user interface, making it ahead of dbaseiv at the time. From 2.0, FoxPro truly formed its own feature. When FoxPro 2.0 is launched, it contains several key technologies to bring revolutionary changes to the PC database development market. These technologies are: joining Rushmore technology, it can engage in many unimaginable complex work. Suddenly, a form with a million counting record is not only possible in the PC database system, but also very easily achieved, there is no need to transfer other more expensive technologies; Rushmore is the most important advantage is that it is fully automated. No need to spend energy and time without users. Because there is Rushmore technology, add Fox natural fast, even in today's Visual FoxPro is still the fastest desktop database engine. The SQL statement is another revolutionary key technique launched by FoxPro 2.0. Fox's developers have replaced the entire program with a single statement, and this support is included in the Fox data engine. The SQL language is once and now still is a powerful data language. FoxPro 2.0 also launched a tool for development reports and screens that you have obtained. FoxPro 2.0 does have some of our excellent features we have today's Visual FoxPro today. GUI design services, SQL and very fast data access are significant features. FoxPro 2.5 has For DOS, for Windows, but that Windows is just a look that looks like "Windows" DOS application. Especially the version under that DOS is definitely a classic, and there is still a lot of such systems around you? At that time, there were this evaluation: this software has no longer fast, unless the hardware upgrade ... until the spring of Visual FoxPro in 1995, there was another major improvement in FoxPro (at this time Microsoft has acquired Fox Software). Visual FoxPro 3.0 has added some people who have a long-awaited feature that makes the PC database development industry shocked. We can see: Visual FoxPro and FoxPro are great, don't make Visual FoxPro into FoxPro. These features are: Database container, also called DBC, which increases the support of the store for many years, and the data rules associated with the table and a series of additional data functions associated with the table. Seamless connection of remote data. Talking about the processing of connecting remote data, you often think of RDO, ADO, BDE and other processing data engines, so Visual FoxPro uses what is seamless connection to remote data? Visual FoxPro itself's data processing engine, this and any other development tools are different! The Visual FoxPro Data Processing Engine communicates with the remote database server "Call", the remote database server's ODBC driver can convert Visual FoxPro data into data that can be interpreted by them; the Visual FoxPro's ODBC driver can also put remote data Convert data that can be processed by the Visual FoxPro data engine. It can be seen that as long as the remote database has an ODBC driver, you can use Visual FoxPro to the most client software. Common SQL Server, Oracle, Access and other databases provide an ODBC driver. There are two ways, remote view, and SPT technology in Visual FoxPro.

View (View) is an updated SQL cursor, adds a complete set of data access methods for data processing, GUI display, and report making. It supports two types of views, namely local views, and remote views. The local view is a view based on the Visual FoxPro form, and the remote view is a view based on any ODBC data source. In addition, in order to make Visual FoxPro a complete C / S development environment, Visual FoxPro also supports SPT (SQL PASS THROUGH) technology to complete the work of the view, such as the user management, stored procedure call, etc. of the database server. After VIEW and SPT technology, Visual FoxPro has become the main tool for accessing remote data. Overall, create applications within the entire enterprise and use data stored in remote data sources, almost as easy to use the Visual FoxPro form itself, add some commands, functions, data processing, and Ordinary Visual FoxPro programming has no difference. Again pointed out: Remote View and SPT technology are directly supported by the Visual FoxPro data processing engine, which is different from external data access technology in VB, VC (they use components, such as: Dao, RDO, Ado ...), so use Visual FoxPro has a high efficiency of remote data and can make remote data with local data to maximize development efficiency and program operation efficiency. Object-oriented technology (OOP) is fully supported. Fully and robust to achieve the object-oriented processing method greatly improved software development conditions. A robust object model and the functions used to create your own class and subclasses form a new software development. Visual FoxPro 5.0 is an upgrade version of 3.0, which is a 32-bit system. With the functions of using and creation COM servers, and start supporting Visual FoxPro on the Internet. From this release, Visual FoxPro entered the Visual Studio family, and Visual FoxPro will no longer be upgraded. Before Visual FoxPro 6.0, Microsoft plans to launch DNA, evolving to today is .NET, and promise to develop Visual FoxPro into a strong intermediate tool, so the primary users of Visual FoxPro will not feel too easy. Visual FoxPro 6.0 has not changed fundamentally, but some changes are quite obvious. These two methods of Access and Assign are very creative in controlling the data in your object. Using new Component Gallery and Foundation Classs (Basics), you can easily turn to create an object-oriented application. Better support for COM, we can create multithreaded COM components with Visual FoxPro after Server Pack 3. Visual FoxPro 7 is the first visual version of Fox, Visual FoxPro 3, the most revolutionary product upgrade. Regarding its characteristics, this article will have a special paragraph explanation. The language of Visual FoxPro is made up of XBASE, SQL, OOP. I don't know if this decomposition is reasonable, I just draw the above conclusions from the history of FoxPro. In fact, the above three are integrated with Visual FoxPro, which has been connected to Visual FoxPro, indivisible, many statements, and functions are difficult to distinguish which category it belongs (not necessary).

Then XBase is not very appropriate, so it is easy to misunderstand, as if the language of Visual FoxPro is "dead language", it is "old antique" more than ten years ago, in fact, in each upgrade of FoxPro ( It is now Visual FoxPro 7) will revise and add this part of the language. I still look like this: Visual FoxPro language is called: "Visual FoxPro Language", which is different from any previous XBase (most historical origin), alone in other programming languages. This is like Delphi, is Object Pascal language, not the previous pASCAL; VB is VB, not the previous Basic. After entering the visualization of FOX, the support of COM technology has always been Visual FoxPro in the past, and now, the future is constantly improving. The biggest benefit of object-oriented programming (OOP) is the reuse of the code. However, OOP is just an excellent solution for solving the code repeatedly. Simply utilizing OOP technology not only requires all objects to be done in a language, and you also need to get the original code code embedding application (just like we develop using Class in Visual FoxPro). If the object is that you may have you or your company, these may not have any problems, but if the object is written by other people or other companies, this is a problem ... Furthermore, in order to save resources, we often hope to put an object remote. How is the application for many applications, how simple, safe and secure? It seems that there is no OOP! So Microsoft puts forward the Component Object Model (COM) technology. We don't need to embed the object source program into our application, you can use the object developed by other languages, you can distribute the object. COM technology provides four different features, Visual FoxPro supports all COM features. ActiveX Documents allows users to edit another application in an application. We can embed Word documents or link to Visual FoxPro, you can leave the Visual FoxPro editing Word document. Activex Controls provides developers with increased system features, typical applications are used by various ActiveX controls to enhance the user interface. Here to explain that Visual FoxPro does not support (7.0 nor support) "container" ActiveX control, such as the COOL BAR control. Automation allows users to manipulate another application or component in an application, typical application is Visual FoxPro and Office OLE-Automation app. Remote Automation or Distributed COM (DCOM) is similar to Automation technology, just it supports the distribution of components, which is Microsoft's distributed application strategy. Visual FoxPro does not support Active Controls (ActiveX) development, but supports Server Components development, which is also developed in Visual FoxPro in Automation, Remote Automation. This capability of Visual FoxPro is from 5.0, and SP 3 of 6.0 has been able to develop multi-threaded components, which have been discussed above.

The later Visual FoxPro version will have better support to Automation, especially Remote Automation, whether developing Server Components, or serving as a client by Visual FoxPro. In summary, Visual FoxPro is an important development tool for creating a key task, an enterprise-oriented single-level, a double-level, multi-level application, which can be configured locally or global. Visual FoxPro is out of time? I am seeing, I am really tired of such a problem. I have listened to this question for several years. From the rumor, the version of Visual FoxPro has been raised twice, which is Visual FoxPro 6.0 and the Visual FoxPro 7.0 launched in Spring 2001. According to Microsoft's official news, Visual FoxPro 8 (which may be this name) is already in research and development. I dare not guarantee that there will be Visual FoxPro 9.0 (this is like I dare not guarantee whether Microsoft is still the same as it). It can be considered this, as long as the accident is not accident (such as Microsoft's closed closures, major changes in the industry, etc.), FOX will develop smoothly! In foreign countries, a programmer, a company regards the development tools they use as an investment. As a developer of Visual FoxPro, Microsoft must protect customers' investment rights and interests, which is very basic business principles, Microsoft is absolutely afraid. The eliminated Fox with 500,000 users unless I never want to earn this 500,000 users. Why is Visual FoxPro to eliminate rumors, I am not very clear. But the two years of Microsoft's non-propaganda attitude towards Visual FoxPro has played a role in promoting this rumor. In addition, Visual FoxPro is indeed a product that is easy to cause, and the primary users are easy to generate "not very" judges, so plus the rumors, "Visual FoxPro is really eliminated". Why is Visual FoxPro that is easy to cause misunderstandings? I summed up the following reasons: object-oriented and oriented, we say that Visual FoxPro is an object-oriented language and is based. Object-oriented language must have four characteristics: abstract, encapsuction, inheritance, polymorphism. Is it supported by Visual FoxPro, is it supported? Of course, Visual FoxPro is the same as C and Object Pascal, so there are many process-oriented temperaments in the language. I know that many schools are in teaching, but teach students to use Visual FoxPro's-oriented language characteristics, and ignore object-oriented teaching, the same problem also exists in the vast Visual FoxPro programmers. We must understand that because we don't use Visual FoxPro's powerful features, Visual FoxPro is not an object-oriented language, this is like can't be done because of the rain, but said that the sun is eaten by Tian Dog - how Naive! We know that Visual FoxPro has used the operation of the data for many years, which is very different from the current popular development tools. I think Microsoft has made it the truth: the first, the process-oriented data processing, which makes it possible to play the flexible and casual features of the XBase language system. This, you have used other database development tools, and then use Visual FoxPro to understand.

Second, it does not directly provide object-oriented data processing components, which does not mean that users are not allowed to encapsulate their own data processing components. Many excellent FOX programmers will pack their own data processing components, this is the noble realm of Visual FoxPro programming! Doctrine and view-oriented disputes depending on the shallow cognition of the author, the relational database processing can be divided into recorded operations and integrated operations. The client cursor system supported by various development tools is a recorded operation, and they support the absolute positioning between records, which is understood that they can navigate between records, such as: SKIP, Go TOP, and similar statements. Visual FoxPro is undoubtedly a definite master, 20 years of language development, gathered a lot of recorded language elements. This is because, we will repeatedly emphasize: Visual FoxPro's Cursor system is flexible, powerful! Each type of large database, such as Oracle, SQL Server is a representative of collection processing, seeing the orthodox SQL language, there is absolutely no data navigation, there is an equal relationship between data records, everything must be related, pendulum conditions! With the development of technology, people have begun to note that these two operation methods that cannot be split, so that large databases support the cursor probes, and Fox also supports conforming to specific SQL languages. Product positioning results in Visual FoxPro change is not easy to feel. Microsoft should use Visual FoxPro as an intermediate layer development tool for a three-layer architecture (or multilayer frame). What is the three-layer framework? The first layer is the user interface: it contains the user interface, allowing the user to enter, output, inquiry and other work; the third layer is the data layer: it is where it is used, it generally refers to the backend database, mainly including Oracle, SQL Server, etc., it is mainly providing a large place to have rules to store data; the second layer is a business logic layer (middle layer): Some people have to say: Acquisition information, jump from the first floor Can it be possible to the second layer? Of course, no one regulates the shortcut, and directly grasping the information directly from the database, which is fast, why do you engage in a second layer? Business rules are often changed. For example, it is changed from 8 o'clock to 10 points. How do I know that the boss is less than the two hours of the boss? It must not know that you must tell it, then the problem Come, if you have many computers, such as: 100 units, you have to change the new program. If this is a network program hanging on the Internet, do you always make the user Download new program? More importantly, in a large number of customers exist, traditional two-layer framework has no ability to take huge work pressure, and must achieve pressure balance through some intermediate system, which is another wonderful use of the intermediate layer! The intermediate layer is a code written in the design of the graphical interface, and is the code writing of the OOP mode. It is not only familiar with the characteristics of the background database, but also considers the characteristics of the front interface tool. The most important thing is the architecture of business logic, but also requires IIS. , MTS (COM ), NT security settings, etc. Complex boring things.

Interestingly, there are more improvements in Visual FoxPro in recent years, more in these respects, and the latest version of Visual FoxPro 7 has increased several features in this regard, let me use four questions. Visual FoxPro's contribution to the intermediate layer: Question 1: Can Visual FoxPro develop stable and efficient Server programs? Can, Microsoft gives Visual FoxPro SP 3 in 1999 to develop multithreaded multithreading the ability of the multithreaded process, and add new runtime library VFPNT.DLL (N representative version number) to support it, In this runtime, a large number of vintage and interface control elements have been removed, making it smaller. But because Visual FoxPro6 itself is not very stable (playing SP4 or SP5 has improved), this great feature does not fully play in Visual FoxPro 6 until Visual FoxPro 7 appears to show its heroes! Question 2: How to achieve distributed transactions, dynamic load balancing? Visual FoxPro 7 has good support for COM , can solve these two problems by COM ! Question 3: How is the client program to exchange data collection as a Server program? This is the fatal weaknesses of the Server program developed by Visual FoxPro 6. We know that Visual FoxPro is used to handle data, but it is not possible to freely exchange data sets with the outside world will greatly reduce development, use and program operation efficiency! In Visual FoxPro 7, our XML can quickly pass large data sets, and truly do the freedom of data set. Recall the "loop property" practice of Visual FoxPro 6, I really have the feelings of the world! Question 4: Can you let Visual FoxPro have been used by customers, what is your dry? Yes, a new function is provided in Visual FoxPro 7: ExecScript (). With it, you can perform a number of clients who meet the Visual FoxPro specification at once: You can define variables, do queries, update data, modify table structure ... Microsoft does practice to make Visual FoxPro run in the middle layer. committed to. But unfortunately: Due to the level of domestic users, domestic software applications, for most FOX Fans can't feel the change of Visual FoxPro, and Visual FoxPro does "did not change"! Can Visual FoxPRO can only be limited to the development of desktop applications? Technology in progress, software technology is widely broadening, and Internet is already supported by many developments. Visual FoxPro starts expanding the Internet from version 5 to the Internet, and the latest Visual FoxPro 7 adds support for Web Service. We can divide Visual FoxPro for the support of the Internet: the first, simple HTML conversion. Visual FoxPro comes with the "Web Publish" tool that uses HTML and DHTML template to support webization of Visual FoxPro data, which is a full-static web support. Second, it is suitable for Active Document technology used within the company.

Is it hoped to quickly, simply transform the Visual FoxPro application to a web application, this Active Document technology is the best choice. It supports the App program to run in IE. Its disadvantage is that the client must install Visual FoxPro running library, the client is still close to the database, belonging to the F / S architecture - just the interface can run In IE. Its development quickly and it is still based on the traditional architecture, which determines this technology only within the enterprise, generally cannot be released in a wide area network. This technology is proposed by Visual FoxPro 6, and there is a special menu item in the Tool menu. Nowadays, Visual FoxPro 7, this menu item has been canceled, but it is not said that Visual FoxPro 7 does not support Active Document, but this unique technology is not necessary to put it in your eye. Third, Based on COM application. Visual FoxPro is actually used for web development, which is supported by COM. Here you have to have awareness, as a database development tool, Visual FoxPro is not a tool for developing a web interface such as FronPage (perhaps future Visual FoxPro supports development of the web interface). Visual FoxPro is entirely a background that Server runs on the website and serves a variety of applications. COM components written using Visual FoxPro can be supported by IIS, pressing various operations in the background - this is the web application of Visual FoxPro, is also the intermediate layer of typical multi-layer architecture! At this stage, Visual FoxPro supports Web support can be divided into three levels: foxisapi. This is the first technique that the ASP technology has not appeared in the year. We can achieve dynamic web development through IIS in IIS. Web Serverasp technology has appeared, and we know a major feature of ASP technology is the application of components that support server-side components. The COM component written in Visual FoxPro can run in IIS for ASP calls. Web Service This is the new feature of Visual FoxPro 7, as well as the current most popular technology. It is the maximum difference from Web Service: Web Server Components can only be called through ASP programs, while Web Service can be used to call global scale, regardless of client hardware platform, software platform, as long as it supports SOAP, support XML can be . More exaggerated: As long as you can access the Internet, you can enjoy the services provided by Web Service! Some people may ask: I can use VB, VC to build an object component, why do I use Visual FoxPro to build the same component? Microsoft has special comments on this issue, great ideas: fast, repetitive, cross-language repeat Useability. "Fast" refers to the components developed by Visual FoxPro, and the processing data is extremely rapid, and Visual FoxPro can build a string very quickly.

How fast, I want data to process, the speed of access is usually teach, the string generation speed I have a data here, this is a master of Taiwan, the test of 1M In writing, the result of the VC 6.0 program for 3.5 seconds, VB 6.0 programs used for 11 seconds, Java 1.1.5 used for 24 seconds, Visual FoxPro 6.0 used for 7 seconds; "Repeated usability" means that Visual FoxPro has OOP Function; "Cross-language Repeatability" refers to the object compile written by Visual FoxPro, which can be used in other languages. Don't think that Visual FoxPro is a "low-end product", regardless of the quality of the database (DBF Base) or the development environment, Visual FoxPro, it is a "high-end tool". Many people think that Visual FoxPro can only be used to develop a single user system or a small network system of the file server architecture - this is a fallacy - this ignorant speech is in many cases of C / S, three-layer framework ( Especially for some VB, PB, Delphi database programming books). I can tell you that I can use Visual FoxPro to develop C / S structures. The C / S architecture here is definitely authentic, not what F / S architecture is in a confusion. In the C / S architecture, we often choose Visual FoxPro as a client development tool, complicated with network databases such as Oracle, SQL Server, using Visual FoxPro built-in Remote View and SPT technology, which can be perfectly solved. Here is not detailed, only specifically introduces the role of Visual FoxPro's local engine in development. Visual FoxPro's local engine is particularly powerful (above, we said that millions of records do not breathe), we can use the system to combine remote data and local data when designing the system, very simple, effectively controlling network data traffic Improve system work efficiency (I have seen a lot of VB, Delphi, PB books, and they rarely control network data traffic, improve system work efficiency discussion, I don't know if I don't care, or what is otherwant?). I think Visual FoxPro's local engine at least three great uses under the C / S architecture. One: Local storage of non-frequent changes in data. my country's postal coding and regional relationship is relatively stable data, and the amount of data is not too small, I want to have thousands of records (I didn't carefully examine the specific situation), and we store this information in the client computer. You can get data from the local code when using postal coding and its related information, so that high system efficiency can simultaneously save network resources (this is an important principle of C / S development), only in the server only on the server only in postal coding. Update, download the data on the update client. If you use other software to achieve the same functionality than Visual FoxPro, it is absolutely unspeakable with Visual FoxPro, which is better to support remote data and remote data because Visual FoxPro's data engine supports remote data reads. It can fuse local data and remote data; Offline packet. There is always a business trip in the unit. Can I have a notebook to send an order for the customer, and sign the contract with the customer, just like in your own office? When he returns to the company, just connect the notebook to the server, send an update. Visual FoxPro offline view is an economical and efficient and secure solution (of course you can use remote dial-in or build a web site, these Visual FoxPro may dry).

In fact, the offline packet has an important function: when the data is large (unless you don't want to design the system like this), use offline views to automatically transform into physical tables, and take advantage of Visual FoxPro With flexible, after completion, update the backend data source - everything is simple. I think: Offline view is definitely a selling point in Visual FoxPro in the C / S system, although ADO also supports similar things, but definitely not be efficient to Visual FoxPro; its three: data driver. Do you know that most file formats in Visual FoxPro are actually DBF files, such as DBC, SCX, FRX, etc., they can drive complex tasks by Visual FoxPro's local engine. When designing the C / S structure, if you want to store user settings, custom file format, use Visual FoxPro's local engine to help simple, because you use the way to change the souvenir, but it's simple, efficient . When Visual FoxPro develops a C / S system, the most distinctive feature is that the control of the remote data is implemented through the local database, the Remote View, the Connection is managed as the object of the local database, and the perfect connection local data and remote data. This approach to establishing remote data logic in the client is similar to the latest ADO.NET! In the three-layer architecture, Visual FoxPro can act as any of the mandate, but I think that the database portion of the large and medium-sized system should be based on the network database. The client interface is also available in Visual FoxPro, but is generally limited to the interior of the company, we usually use IE as the customer interface on the Internet. In the three-layer architecture, Visual FoxPro is the most demanding intermediate layer development. It is simple (development difficulty with ordinary Visual FoxPro projects), fast string generation, support COM technology, it supports (MTS) COM technology, it supports XML (Visual FoxPro 7.0 provides 3 functions related to XML), which has a powerful local data engine, flexible data processing, which supports the development of multi-threaded service components. Some people may ask: Use the ASP scripting language to develop web systems, why bother to add an intermediate layer. Indeed, currently in the market and discussing the web books directly using the scripting language to develop the entire system, this is a very incorrect practice, even written books, the hardware is getting faster, so using the scripting language to develop the entire system. There is no relationship. The authors that will say this is usually people who do not actually develop Web application experience. Scripting language, such as VBScript is an interpretative language, the running efficiency is very low, they are only suitable as a glue program. Development Web System Orthodox is: writing application logic as a COM, DCOM object, and then drives / uses these objects with a small number of scripting languages. This will be large when the system is developed, but it meets the most basic principles of developing any database application: separation application logic and user interface. This makes it easy to maintain. You can change those gum programs to change the web page. You can change a logical object when you apply a logic transform, and you don't have to worry about messy and complicated code. Furthermore, because Visual FoxPro is an efficient, flexible data processing language, any business logic can be coded by it, and you can get dozens of times or even hundreds of times of operational efficiency of ASP scripting languages, and more robust execution. effect. Visual FoxPro's language looks quite difficult. People praise Visual FoxPro always praised his easy to learn, I disagree with this point of view (I don't know what they stand on what position).

I see the problem of "Being a Visual FoxPro programmer", my conclusion is that Visual FoxPro is not a development tool. This is not said that Visual FoxPro's grammar, the concept is so complex, but it means: even simple applications, you must master a lot of Visual FoxPro's concept, grammar, function, may also understand OOP - often make people touch Lee shallow. For example, take the most important function of the database system - inquiry, Visual FoxPro is "a lot of tricks." I have statistics, not "List, browse" interactive command, Visual FoxPro At least 4 commands (Find, Seek, Locate, SELECT-SQL), 3 functions (Lookup (), Seek (), Indexseek )), (Of course, there is many keywords, functions of these commands, the parameters of the function, some require indexing, some can be indexed but require optimization index ... and this is absolutely only two three in VB, Delphi Method's way. From the above example, if you only see Visual FoxPro, then you are completely wrong: in VB, Delphi implementation of the principle of querying functionality is the same, but they encapsulated many links, and Visual FoxPro Many things are lower (of course, as low as VC , but it is more difficult to use the language of the object), so Visual FoxPro developers often think more than using other development tool developers. The true meaning of understanding database development, because the tools are forced to work in this direction ... with Visual FoxPro helps improve programmers to understand the database concept. Many issues that are not a problem in the Visual FoxPro programmers tend to be a nightmare for programmers who use objects to handle data. For example, data buffering in Visual FoxPro, transaction processing is important concept (in fact, you must understand these things), in other development environments, it is easy to quickly and quickly ignore the basic concept of programmers, compiled Either efficiency is not high or old. The readers know: Basic concepts, the basic theory is life, this is the benefits of Visual FoxPro brings us. Interesting is Visual FoxPro, it is difficult to go to this extent, his learning difficulty curve is the most stable in all languages ​​- unlike in some languages, the basic development is very easy, once in depth, it is difficult. In the primary application, intermediate applications, advanced applications in Visual FoxPro is very difficult - is the functions that are likely to understand, which is easy to understand. This advanced application of Visual FoxPro is not too difficult. The primary application is not very easy to characterize, which is unable to experience the wonderfulness of the initiator, which causes Visual FoxPro; at the same time, Visual FoxPro The difficulty has brought a lot of benefits (there are many in appetuts), and Visual FoxPro is more rapid, flexible, more flexible, data processing than other languages, more fully, and more fully. Imagine when developing data objects with Visual FoxPro, we can use a colorful statement, function, very complex, change multi-end function, develop data objects in other languages, and their functions can only be built in existing data objects. Above the function (this is inherited), the change is less, the function is weak.

If you want to achieve the XBase SQL of Visual FoxPro, the powerful function I am afraid to use the underlying API - this is terrible! OOP is not only a "object-oriented" development environment, but also a development idea, development technology, and Visual FoxPro do better in the latter. We have told Visual FoxPro fully support OOP development, but interesting is to do any ready-made objects in terms of data processing (FFC is Visual FoxPro 6.0), and the encapsulation, adaptability is not satisfactory. ), I don't know if Visual FoxPro's blessing is still a malfunction. Say "Fuqi" This will force the programmer to master this technology (possibly "ideological methods" more appropriate), rather than simply use the object. OOP is important for the development of the intermediate layer, because the COM component must be based on OOP ideology. To develop such components, you must master OOP technology; say "scourge" This makes Visual FoxPro are not easy to learn and Used (for me personal, truly appreciating "using Visual FoxPro should prepare data processing objects" is also using Visual FoxPro for a long time). In fact, there are still many people who have a deep understanding of Visual FoxPro. They only feel that Visual FoxPro is not used by Delphi, PB, VB, but they never want to develop data processing objects, to write COM components I want to live. Those "elites" don't understand OOP, they only understand the "point" operation symbol - as if the object is used is OOP, what qualifications do they have to criticize us? Is Visual FoxPro's interface ability really poor? I think Microsoft as a database system Microsoft provides us with a dozen attachment ActiveX controls. We discuss that the Visual FoxPro control should start from two aspects. The first is aesthetic problem with the interface, and then the data processing is convenient. Many people have a good question, I don't think about the control of the control, the control of the landscaping interface does not mean that Visual FoxPro does not develop a pleasing software, my feelings are the professionalization, high of the software interface. The aesthetics of the level, the overall effect is more important than individual interface special effects, and the actual effect can be more tens of millions. Looking at the procedures for foreign Visual FoxPro you will understand; my dissatisfaction with Visual FoxPro is data processing, analyzing controls, especially a batch of data analysis controls. For example, there is no chart control that can be bundled with the data. It is not possible to list the table control of the bundled crosstab. It is not possible to bundle the data perspective control ... On this issue, Visual FoxPro does learn from Delphi, PB, etc. Our expectations for future Visual FoxPro! Visual FoxPro and OLE DB, ADOADO are the mainstream data access solutions in a Windows environment, which basically use ADO to implement data access, such as: VC , VB, Delphi. In the development environment of Visual FoxPro, it seems that the ADO is not visible. Is it Visual FoxPro not supported ADO? ADO is actually a set of COM objects, Visual FoxPro supports COM, of course, supports ADO. I think: Visual FoxPro supports ADO just stay at a low level. This is not to say that Visual FoxPro limits what ADO's features (all functions can be used), but refers to: it is not convenient to be in VB, Delphi is convenient. This inconvenience is mainly reflected in the ADO's Recordset that cannot be bundled with the built-in controls of Visual FoxPro.

The reason is: Visual FoxPro doesn't know the Recordset of Ado, only read the record one by one, rather than a peer to recognize the entire Recordset. Such data cannot be bundled, and it is also impossible to use the Visual FoxPro powerful data processing function directly (ADO is used to access data). As Visual FoxPro is connected to the remote data source using the ODBC, the ADO is dialogue through the OLE-DB and the data provider. (By the Way: Visual FoxPro 7 is the OLE-DB provider so you can use ADO access Visual FoxPro data through the authentic OLE-DB driver in other development tools.) What can ADO bring to Visual FoxPro? The first thing to note is that the data engine of ADO and Visual FoxPro is a systemless system, and from some extent, ADO's appearance provides a new remote data processing method for Visual FoxPro. ADO is the best solution for data collection delivery in multi-layer applications. If we develop a middle layer system with Visual FoxPro, we developed a user interface with VB. When the middle layer is delivered to a CURSOR to VB client, you cannot use Visual FoxPro's CURSOR or DBF because VB does not recognize them. Recordset with ADO can solve the problem because everyone recognizes him; Visual FoxPro can only make up for the Visual FoxPro 7 to support the Data set in the application through Visual FoxPro 7. ADO can access non-relational databases. ADO is the main will of Microsoft's Universal Data Access architecture that allows data for non-relational data databases such as Excel. Visual FoxPro for accessing remote data through ODBC has no ability. But I was very disappointed after I used ADO to access Excel, because the connection must be exclusive, so this function gives us help only limited! ADO can make up for the shortcomings of Visual FoxPro at remote data access. For example, Visual FoxPro does not recognize NTEXT, NVARCHAR, NCHAR in SQL Server, but ADO can. In Visual FoxPro uses ADO: Visual FoxPro can only recognize ADO's Recordset through COM, can't read it like a table, which appears two questions: Recordset cannot bundle with Visual FoxPro; cannot be directly The powerful data processing function using Visual FoxPro (ADO is used to access data and process data by customers). Visual FoxPro uses code to implement all features of ADO, but the code is large, and it is difficult to write. Treating the above shorted Visual FoxPro Development Group released a component called VFPCOM.DLL in short aging, you can use it to partially solve the Conversion of the ADO's Recordset and Visual FoxPro, and the binding of the ADO event, Visual FoxPro It is built-in supporting COM event binding. In the first edition of this article, the author has such a hope: "Visual FoxPro is more efficient support ADO."

Now my opinion has some changes, I think that Visual FoxPro processes data, whether it is local or teletext, whether it is the system, the best solution to understand the built-in data engine, not now popular ADO, Now Visual FoxPro's support for ADO is already enough! What is the advantage of Visual FoxPro's data engine with ADO? Visual FoxPro data engine system resource is small, and ADO is a COM component to use more resources. As a system shared component, using ADO may generate ADO version issues in different application systems, which is like the ActiveX control version issues we often meet. ADO is just a data access component. It does not have a data processing function. To process data, you must use a client application, such as VB, Delphi. Visual FoxPro data engine supports data access, data processing, I have repeatedly emphasized Visual FoxPro's great feature in these two aspects; ADO does not have a local database as powerful support, there is a need to temporarily store remote data in physical files in physical files Absolutely not visual foxpro. Visual FoxPro's database is the best in the desktop database, remote data temporary, is not only convenient, but also strong scalability. After obtaining data from the data source, you have to group, query, summarize the data collection, but Visual FoxPro supports the data processing of Cursor, we can use the vast majority XBase language (except ZAP and PACK) Outside the table maintenance language of the class), you can also perform SQL statements for Cursor - this powerful power, not ADO can be proposed. When developing a stand-alone program, do not use ADO, do neither development efficiency is not running efficiency; developing a C / S system we should use Visual FoxPro's SPT and Remote View, they can solve problems in a full perfect solution (there are many Many successful experiences), do not need to use ADOs in the distance; when developing in the middle layer, consider using ADO, we use ADO development efficiency in this case, because all the code must use us. One sentence, one sentence is written (like other development environments), Visual FoxPro's syntax is simple to add Visual FoxPro 7 extreme intelliSense features (really quickly and can be customized by users), maybe we will also occupy cheap. Although ADO and Visual FoxPro are completely unrelated system, they have a common mother - FoxPro development team, which is the original ADO's cursor set (Cursor Engine). If you understand the ADO and Visual FoxPro, you will find that ADO's ideas are exactly the same as Visual FoxPro ... I always take this allusions to persuade those who don't believe in Visual FoxPro: The most popular ADO's cursor set is written by FoxPro development team What reasons have doubts Visual FoxPro's data engine - it is the best in the world! Visual FoxPro is a historic product, many users are from FoxBase to FoxPro to Visual FoxPro, step by step. Historical accumulation, history of the baggage is also heavy - many programmers often seize the new features of the new products, which is a sorrow. I have encountered many so-called people who use Visual FoxPro, but also the sound of "Query Design" is "RQBE", the friend is the concept of the DOS era.

Many people don't carefully study Visual FoxPro, just see a feature from other tools, as if you think: Visual FoxPro is not supported. Delphi specifically pointed out that it has heterogeneous data association, such as the parent table is SQL Server data, the subtheet is Access data, requires the establishment of the association, and implements "a multi-relation". This feature is required to use a special SQL syntax in Delphi. If you don't specify this feature in the documentation of Visual FoxPro, isn't it? If you understand the remote view of Visual FoxPro and Cursor's usage, the answer is easy to get. In fact, use Visual FoxPro to achieve more direct and simple implementation: two "connect", two "remote view", pair sub-table plus, set SET SKIP TO ..., Visual FoxPro can be implemented The function, Delphi's BDE (Delphi local engine) cannot be: Visual FoxPro's remote view can set the result set after multiple tables to "updatable", and automatically generate Update clauses separately updated after data changes Backstage data. For example: to establish a connection to the Pubs database in SQL Server, the new remote view: CREATE SQL VIEW TEST VIEW REMOTE CONNECTION CONNECTION1 AS SELECT Publishers.pub_id, Publishers.pub_name, Titles.title_id, Titles.title, Titles.price, Authors.au_id, authors.au_lname, Authors.au_fname, authors.phone, Authors.address FROM dbo.publishers Publishers, dbo.titles Titles, dbo.titleauthor Titleauthor, dbo.authors Authors WHERE Titles.pub_id = publishers.pub_id AND titleauthor.title_id = Titles. Title_id and authors.au_id = titleauthor.au_id ORDER BY PUBLISHERS.PUB_ID This is the relationship between the four tables, is a more complex SQL statement. Don't worry, all this is just in Visual FoxPro, just use the mouse in the "View Designer". Visual FoxPro will be analyzed intelligent when you "add, delete, modify" and send updates, and Visual FoxPro generates the UPDATE sentences to update the change to the back-end several tables. Delphi's BDE can only have this role on XBase data sources, and there is no such functionality for other data sources. Visual FoxPro supports all ODBC data sources (as long as the data source itself supports), such as: Oracle, SQL Server, Access ... Of course, in Delphi 5.x, you can make up for this defect via ADO, but Visual FoxPro also supports ADO. Visual FoxPro's programmer has such confidence: Visual FoxPro provides us with the best local engine! The ancients cloud: Want to do good things, you must first sharpen them. So we don't blame the tool, how, look at yourself! Visual FoxPro compares to other development tools This is actually a very stupid topic, what development tools are completely due to programmers and Personal preference decisions.

As long as you choose the tools you can do with the project you are engaged, as long as you have enough attainments to develop tools to cope with multiple changes, complex work, as long as this tool continues to upgrade, you have no reason to replace tools, there is no need to blend Go to this boring discussion. Any tool has its advantages and weakness, product positioning is different, and each programmer feels that his choice is the best, others are stupid. The following discussion is just bored by boredons, you can't read it. Talk about Visual FoxPro, we must pay attention to such a problem: Visual FoxPro is dry. Undoubtedly, it is a development tool for a database system. I personally think that in all of Microsoft's development tools, Visual FoxPro is the best product for developing database applications. We must admit such facts: From the beginning, Visual FoxPro is designed for processing data, it is running fast, powerful, and very flexible. There are many people who like to take Access with Visual FoxPro, I will take care of this, let us see Microsoft's comments! Microsoft's original words are as follows: "Microsoft Access is the database in Office, and the software sold in Microsoft, using the most widely easiest learning database tool. If you are a new hand of the database, if you want to use Microsoft Office to establish an application Or you want a quite convenient interactive product, then choose Access.visual FoxPro is a powerful RAD tool used to establish a relational database application. If you are a relational database application Visual database developers, and you want the speed and function to reach the limit, then select Visual FoxPro. "After this year Visual FoxPro exits Visual Studio, Microsoft repeated once, emphasizing that Visual FoxPro is a professional developer The development tool, not the ordinary user's office platform for the ACCESS.) According to my experience, Access's MDB database applies to the amount of data of 200,000 / table (it is the only longevity of the Visual FoxPro database: all Both database components are in the same MDB file, while the Fox's database may have multiple files, which is messy.), The amount of data is increased, not that Access cannot handle, but the efficiency is not good - query, index very slow. Visual FoxPro can handle millions of or even tens of millions of data. This is a practical basis. In the past 20 years, in particular, the industry has no civilianization, the industry is relying on DBF data sheet management. Data, no exaggerated Visual FoxPro is a professional tool that can be secure and efficiently handled. There are many people to take Visual FoxPro and VB, Delphi or even VC , which is very naive, and the three are programming languages, and Visual FoxPro is the development tool for database systems, and the natural division of labor is different. I have heard of this allusion: Foxmail initially written in Visual FoxPro (so called Foxmail), and later write Delphi. If this is the fact that it is very clear that Visual FoxPro is a database development tool to write a mail customer software a bit difficult, even if the efficiency is not very high, if it is a management system written by Visual FoxPro requires mail Function, Visual FoxPro can be done well.

Visual FoxPro As a database development tool, it provides us with a strong, efficient data engine, which has great capacity, fast, flexible, and strong, so use Visual FoxPro development single user database is absolutely more than all other software - once Someone laughs at the VB to handle 5.6 million records, but our Visual FoxPro processes millions of records and does not feel effort, so Visual FoxPro developers must pay attention to the power of Visual FoxPro's data engine. In this way, it can stand in an invincible place. VC is very powerful, but it is not easy to use it, it is not easy to develop efficiency. If you use the VC development application, you will only use the control like VB, then don't use VC (this is called hanging sheep selling dog meat), and Visual FoxPro itself is written in VC , which is the best programmer in the past generation. Crystallization, why have VC still have to spend the writing of Visual FoxPro, which is very explained. Others put Power Builder comes out with Visual FoxPro, everyone is a database application development environment, as if PB is powerful than Visual FoxPro. For the development of the database system, Visial FoxPro can develop a single user system, file server system, client / server system, web server, data processing COM components, Web Service, can say that the web interface cannot be developed except for the web interface In addition, Visual FoxPro is well supported by Visual FoxPro. The starting point of PB is in the client / server system, and it can also work very beautiful. This is a full admission; in addition, the cost of PB is high. As far as I know, the price is very expensive (some people say that PB is the product of the world's five hundred products), while Visual FoxPro sells thousands of RMB. Of course, this view you can do not accept - there is no value in China software, only 5 yuan for RMB; there is also the development method of PB and the unique, use him to change the study again; final After returning to 10,000 steps, you have to transform the programming tool, I don't agree to change the PB, because PB is also a database development tool, from this to Visual FoxPro is a level, you want to transform tools. Many needs, I see C # or Delphi will be better choice. All of these languages ​​are compared with Visual FoxPro, the biggest difference is: Visual FoxPro is the perfect combination of programming language and DBMS, while VC , Delphi, VB, PB is just a programming tool, not DBMS. This feature of Visual FoxPro determines its more suitable and any type of enterprise unit, I can't imagine - for simple queries, use VC , Delphi, VB, PB to write an EXE file, how good is you using the Command window! Others compare the network database such as Oracle, SQL Server and Visual FoxPro, saying Visual FoxPro, a lot of bad things, this kind of person is actually very stupid, you can make a nose to him. The role of large databases and desktop databases in system development is different, and both are complementary. We should put the attention on "how to play the highest performance of the database engine", not to argue, and excellent. This controversy is like comment is a beautiful man, or a woman is so meaningful.

Visual FoxPro separated from Visual Studio on February 26, 2001, Microsoft announced that Visual FoxPro 7 separated from Visual Studio, this is a good news or bad news? Let's analyze: We lost anyway, Visual FoxPro does not become .NET language, in technology loss: cannot develop .NET-based web applications. Visual Studio.net is a tool that is good at developing a web application. In the past, Microsoft broke the "desktop application" application market, and now Microsoft should swallow the large-scale network application market that is now controlled by other companies, so I launched .NET The architecture, Visual Studio.net is the RAD (rapid development environment) based on .NET-based applications. The author believes that in one or two years, we will not use Visual FoxPro written by Visual FoxPro to develop large web applications, and most companies will have a demand for self-built an e-commerce website. We will not lose our market because Visual FoxPro is not .NET language, the application of ordinary enterprise (single user frame, FILE Server architecture, (two layers, three-layer) client / server architecture). Wait .Net really hot, it will be a few years later! Of course, the desktop application can also be developed as a .NET language, and Visual FoxPro is not a .NET language is not better? The view of the author is: not necessarily. A netizen said: VB.NET's grammar like VC is like Java, it is completely unlike Basic syntax, it is necessary to re-learn another language, there is a lot of VB programmers in this feeling, I heard that there are many foreign countries. VB programmers also "worry". Even Microsoft also recognizes that VB 6 and VB.NET are different languages. Assuming that VB changes is just syntax characteristics (this is powerful), then if Visual FoxPro is now a .NET language, its landmark is more than VB! We believe that this is the least let everyone tolerate: Visual FoxPro's data engine and data processing means will be exhausted, and most people in us are using Visual FoxPro to see the unparalleled advantage in data processing. The .NET language uses a common runtime language, the database is done by components such as plug-in ADO. In the technology immature, let Visual FoxPro run on the CLR, it is bound to only three options: Cancel the Visual FoxPro data processing component, let it use the component to process data; add Visual FoxPro's data engine; Visual FoxPro The data engine makes a component. It can be seen that there is no reason to be reasonable, even if it is, Visual FoxPro has become something like. Visual FoxPro with .Netvisual FoxPro supports XML, Web Service, COM. Through them, Visual FoxPro can be integrated with .NET and develop the most popular topics in .NET: Web Services. Objectively, the development of Visual FoxPro as Visual FoxPro as a member of Visual Studio does not develop "FOX's career", this point is the universal consensus of fox friends.

As a member of Visual Studio, Visual FoxPro is more like other Visual Studio products, ignoring the development of its own characteristics, ignoring the needs of users; the product upgrade, the service package provides long (the completion of other products), if Visual FoxPro 7 is not separated, and the release period should at least half a year. Separating Visual FoxPro from Visual Studio.NET, at least two problems will have a good change, especially Visual FoxPro pay more attention to the needs of users. Independent Challenge Visual FoxPro Separates the biggest disadvantages from Visual Studio.NET: It must be paid alone. To put it bluntly: Can you sell it? If the business of Visual FoxPro 7.0 is not bad, then Visual FoxPro will develop well - this is a very simple truth. In all of Microsoft's all development environments, Visual FoxPro is the only embedded data engine - VC, VB must plug-in data processing engine, such as: DAO, ADO, etc., of course, VC can use the underlying API call to complete the task of database processing. - This is the characteristics of Visual FoxPro - born for data processing, but if it is blind to incorporate Visual FoxPro into Visual Studio.net, Visual FoxPro will inevitably save, this is Microsoft, the user is loss. VB, VC does not have this problem - anyway, they do not have a built-in data engine, as long as .NET can call the data processing component! Visual FoxPro 7 has been mentioned many times, Visual FoxPro 7 is officially released in mid-May 2001, listed in the United States in June. Now many netizens have got a formal version of Visual FoxPro 7, and after use, all kinds of judgment have been used. In the United States, Visual FoxPro 7 is the most "revolutionary meaning" version of Fox development after Visual FoxPro 3. The evaluation is very high; in China, many taps are sigh: this is Microsoft is embarrassed to say sp. Product, it is simply Visual FoxPro 6 SP6 ... two evaluations are different, who is it? The author received its BATA 1 version at the end of 2000. July 2001 received an official version of English. In the first time, I don't have any disappointment - the interface is too small - except for several windows, there are several icons on the menu, almost different from Visual FoxPro 6, the most unacceptable is the visual control. Did not increase ... I'm reading helping to understand the new features of Visual FoxPro 7, slowly I have this feeling: I have Visual FoxPro 7 I will never use Visual FoxPro 6, this is my judgment of Visual Foxpro 7 Although it is not perfect, some places are not satisfactory, I still think that 80 points give it a 80 point. Next, I will talk about the feelings of use: giant development environment, mainly in six aspects: IntelliSense, Object Browse, Document View, Task List, recently used files Record, the window is parked. IntelliSense. I often envied VB programmers before VB 5, I have IntelliSense tools, so they don't have to remember a lot of commands, functions, and can easily get objects, properties, and event.

In Visual FoxPro, if the memory of Visual FoxPro itself has no difficulty, it is headache to ActiveX, COM, the property, method, and constants. Visual FoxPro 7 supports IntelliSense, and provides a powerful user-defined function, which is a configurable tool in Visual FoxPro; now Visual FoxPro 7 not only supports the internal object, command, intelligent input navigation, more support For ActiveX, COM's intelligent input navigation, exciting: Visual FoxPro's IntelliSense also supports the latest Web Service. It is proud to say that Visual FoxPro's IntelliSense is the best and can be defined by the user. Object browse. Like IntelliSense, there is an early other development environments, but there is no interest in my interest in it. First, for the COM object, ActiveX's observation tool is really useful; the most important thing: Visual FoxPro 7 Object Browse is closely combined with the Visual FoxPro development environment - can very simple from Object Browse to drag COM object interface In the program, it is very simple to "actuct" the interface of the COM object. Document view. This is a program edited auxiliary tool that lists all processes, methods, functions, macro definitions, header files in the file, helping programmers quickly navigate in a large number of code. Task List is an intimate design that is a bit like "bookmarks". But the powerful place than "Bookmark" is that once the file "bookmark" is closed, Task List will not. Click the Task List project to quickly open the relevant files quickly, navigate to the relevant location. Just like Word, Visual FoxPro will remember that users have recently used files, which can reduce the time of user find files. The window is parked. The display is getting bigger and more resolution, and the programmer's desktop space is getting smaller and smaller - the development environment is very important for the internal tool form. In the development tool I have used, I like the environmental configuration of Visual FoxPro, is not satisfied with: command window, data work period window, and messy attribute windows. Now, Visual FoxPro 7 supports the parking of the tool window to achieve the purpose of saving space. Visual FoxPro 7 changes in the development environment, and more works. It absorbs the advantages of various development environments, incorporates Fox's own characteristics, which is worthy of praise. Database event Visual FoxPro 7 The brightest features are 60 or so database events, which is an improvement in database engines since Visual FoxPro 3.

These events have a significant significance to manage the entire database, we can write the code of the maintenance database in the event, as long as there is a corresponding operation, it will trigger, so that all the related action is written, not like the application. Program! The application surface of the database may be wide, and its role has to rely on everyone's wisdom! XML and Web ServiceVisual FoxPro 7 supports the conversion of XML documents and FOX cursors. It is an exciting thing. When we developed a COM application, it is always a headache - I am-imitation ADO The practice allows the customer to get a recordset in a loop; when the COM component is to get a recordset, it seems to be more trouble ... Now, the industry new standard --XML can pass the data collection in the text (string) It's a beautiful thing! Visual FoxPro 7 supports XML, and also has built-in support for SOAP, which makes Visual FoxPro 7 into tools under the .NET architecture, we can use Visual FoxPro 7 easy development, release Web Service, so our application can be Any time, any location is called by any device that supports Internet, providing services. Web Service But the current most popular topic in the industry, Visual FoxPro is the first tool that Microsoft introduced by developing Web Service. Web Service has enabled Visual FoxPro programmers to develop new distributed applications. The feeling of COM and COM COM components is special, not only the improvement of development efficiency, but also the effect of the COM component operation is significantly improved. Visual FoxPro is the development of COM components from 5.0. The 6.0 version starts to ripe, and 6.0 SP3 supports the development of multi-threaded components. The development of COM components in version 7.0 is significantly better than the 6.0 version. It can be said to be mature, perfect. Technology. I thought that Visual FoxPro 7 support for COM can be divided into two parts: Visual FoxPro acts as a Customer, Visual FoxPro as a COM service. Visual FoxPro 7 supports "Interface" in the COM component to support early binding. This is a great innovation, we know that COM itself does not support "inheritance", so we can't write "subclasses" based on a COM component, but we can implement "Internet", "interste" Multiple "inheritance" ... The COM component written in Visual FoxPro 7 is more reliable than the previous version of Fox, and fully supports the COM specification for Windows 2000. Microsoft pointed out when promoting Visual FoxPro 7: The COM component of Visual FoxPro can be used as an interfaceless data processing in the industrial site, which is visible. Install Shield EXPRESS for Visual FoxProinstall Shield is the mainstream installer production software, which uses Install SHIELD Express for Visual FoxPro Limits for Visual FoxPro 7 instead of the original installation wizard. What is more valuable is that this version of Install Shield provides a Chinese language package, that is, the installer that can generate a Chinese interface. With Install Shield, we can make the most trend of installation. There are still a lot of new features, you will see it! You can also see the article "Visual FoxPro 7" written by the author. Software upgrades are good for our users, mainly to see how many problems have been solved for you, reducing much pain.

Visual FoxPro 7 may be more attractive to advanced users, of course, ordinary users will also be interested in its super development environment. Visual FoxPro 7 SP1 January 16, 2002, Microsoft released the SP1 of Visual FoxPro 7. This is a thorough patch bag - almost no new features. Plus SP1 can improve Visual FoxPro 7 on XML support, according to the author test, then the XMLTocursor () function cannot correctly parse the Chinese characters correctly, and after installing SP1, this problem is solved! Our Visual FoxPro 8 When we are still discussing Visual FoxPro 7, Visual FoxPro 8 is already coming to us! Visual FoxPro 8's product code is "toledo", which is selected by the FoxPro community. The new feature of Visual FoxPro 8 has been seen in early September 2001, in the "VFP DEVCON 2001" meeting, the Microsoft Fox Group convened a keynote speech called "Visual FoxPro 7.0 and Beyond", Calvin Hsia The developers who will demonstrate several new features that have completed Visual FoxPro 8, although they are not improved. The author feels that in 2003, Visual FoxPro 8 will be officially released, but as for him not called Visual FoxPro 8, I don't know, maybe Microsoft will change a name for it ... support from the self-growth field. Implement with an attribute, the table control is now highlighted, and the current line is still displayed when the cursor is lost in the table. The page strip control of the page box control is supported on, lower, left, and right. The Tooltip's tooltip supports multi-line display. All controls support Windows XP interface style. Microsoft's positioning in the FoxPro Advisor magazine, Microsoft's article named "MEMO from Microsoft", which is published in Microsoft Visual FoxPro Product Manager Ken Levy's plan for Visual FoxPro, which specializes in Visual FoxPro 8. product positioning, the original is: the main top-down goals for Toledo are to provide a better rich client, improve distributed Web client features, improve developer productivity, and increase discoverability for ease of use You can see that the product direction focuses on. Features VFP Developers Have Requested.visual FoxPro 8 will be significantly improved on client development, strengthen, this is very different from Microsoft's position between Visual FoxPro 5, 6 - emphasizing Visual FoxPro in Visual Studio, emphasizing Visual FoxPro development intermediate layer applications, COM components. Now Visual FoxPro leaves Visual Studio, product repositioning, compliant developers' needs, proposes Rich Client (fat client) positioning! There is also Visual FoxPro 8 may develop Web Form, which is called Distributed Web Client Features.

Visual FoxPro 8 will not be .NET language Ken Levy also said that Visual FoxPro 8 will adhere to the existing architecture, without running on .NET COMMON LANGUAGE RUNTIME (CLR) ENGINE, it is .NET language. My expectations for Visual FoxPro 8 are just the words of the author. Each important upgrade in the history of remote data is related to the data engine, such as 2.0, adding a built-in SQL statement and Rushmore technology; 3.0 When the complete database concept is proposed, the technology of remote data processing is added; 7.0 is launched The concept of database events. The author believes that Visual FoxPro 8 may have improved on the processing of remote data, and we know that the current Visual FoxPro is accessible through ODBC, and ADO mainly uses OLE DB to access remote data, and the software like PB has the bottom layer. Channel Access Various mainstream databases; in the latest ADO.NET, Microsoft adds direct (underlying) access to SQL Server 7.0 and 2000, of course, OLE DBs are still accessed by OLE DB. Now we are in Visual FoxPro, you must use the ADO components through OLE-DB, but from actual application, ADO is not the mainstream method of Fox access to remote data, so Visual FoxPro 8 should be proposed in terms of accessing remote data. More efficient methods: or the underlying channel for SQL Server, or use OLE DB to remote data ... (haha, I wrote last year, this year has been confirmed from Microsoft: The FOX Group is improving Visual FoxPro SQL Server communication. It seems that my feelings are pretty!) No matter how the access is changed, it is impossible to do it, just like the user doesn't feel the data I am connecting to the SQL Server through the ODBC, just the effect better. (Note: ODBC is still absolutely mainstream, stable remote data access method, just slightly slower than OLE DB; but its compatibility is absolutely better than ADO under OLE DB. So ODBC is still trustworthy in the next few years. Remote data access solutions, especially Visual FoxPro users). Of course, as Fox users are increasingly using SQL Server as the background database, Visual FoxPro 8 will enhance the development environment, such as data dictionary, user convenient view, maintain the table, view, store process, trigger data source. Objects and other objects to increase development efficiency. Report Tools Visual FoxPro 8 will greatly improve report tools, first of all, the most objects of the report are to be easily accessible, control; then upgrading the performance of the report, such as multi-detail band report ... Report preview is more free, the preview window will no longer be the mode window, because the window can be any designated form ...; the data displayed by the report can be saved with the report so that the report can be used as a historical document ... Of course, Microsoft It is also possible that Crystal Report is built into Visual FoxPro, but I firmly believe that Visual FoxPro 8 will give us a reply on the report issue! Calling the API is more convenient. I think I don't think it is not the best programming method directly, but sometimes there is no way.

Visual FoxPro 8 will support the data type of "Structure", and the visual controls will have handle properties so that you can easily use the API's functions in Visual FoxPro, unlike the API call, Visual FoxPro is very trouble ... Improvement in the interface, I blunt: Visual FoxPro's interface is simply a shame of Microsoft! If Visual FoxPro 8 will bring us some fresh air in this regard, there are two possibilities: I want to Microsoft to upgrade the entire interface and built-in visual controls in the existing foundation, so that they meet the trend of Window, More standard, more popular; maybe Visual FoxPro 8 will join the .NET system, inheriting the beautiful interface provided by the public run. The author believes that if Microsoft is preparing to improve the ugly interface of Visual FoxPro, the first program may be greater. (Haha, I have a guess!) The above guess (more beautiful wishes) In the megadownload megadownload megadownload megadownload megadownload megadownload megadownload megadownload megadownload megadownload megadownload megadownload megadownload megadownload megadownload megadownload megadownload megadownload megadownload megadownload megadownload megadownload megadownload megadownload megadownload megadownload ! Choosing the Visual FoxPro author is a programmer, not engaged in administration, doing sales, talking about the work, one is one, vault is not like. Speaking of the heart, Visual FoxPro is not as magical as those who have said big-blown people, the world's first, even more than those of the society, the people who don't understand, I don't understand, my point is With Visual FoxPro to fight with any current popular development tool, the key is: Are you a master, you are using Visual FoxPro in its proper field.

Why do we choose Visual FoxPro as our development tool, because he is useful to us, other tools do not have its own hand, using Visual FoxPro we can develop comparisons, can afford the market style, It is enough for us to produce practical tests, which is enough for us! ! ! On the occasion of this article, the author wants to let everyone see a paragraph of Visual FoxPro 7 in the Amazon website (www.amazon.com), although there is advertising color, this text is true, comprehensive summary of Visual FoxPro characteristics, use:. Microsoft Visual FoxPro 7.0 enables you to build high-performance desktop, client / server, and Web database applications with its database development system Employ its powerful data engine to manage large volumes of data, its object-oriented programming to reuse components across applications, and its built-in XML support to quickly manipulate data. Visual FoxPro 7.0 provides the tools and powerful data engine developers need to manage large volumes of data, whether they are organizing tables of information, running queries, or building full -featured database applications for end users. It helps developers achieve maximum productivity through a powerful development environment and easy-to-use visual design tools, and provides the flexibility to build all types of database applications, and to build and consume COM

components and Web Services. Make applications accessible to third-party tools, such as screen readers, voice-recognition devices, and automated test harnesses. You can also make Visual FoxPro data easily accessible to non-Visual FoxPro-based clients. Build interoperable applications and components through the ability to represent Visual FoxPro data as XML and to import XML data into Visual FoxPro tables. Control user actions with code that executes when databases are opened, closed, or modified. You will reduce coding time by obtaining powerful, extensible language assistance as you type. View and quickly navigate to procedures, functions, and methods in source code, dock common tools such as command, data session, and debug windows. you can create setups for your custom applications using a special version of the popular InstallShield Express Developed Exclusive For Visual FoxPro. The Enhanced Code Editor Reduces Coding Time with support for Bookmarks and Shortcuts, Find Capabiliti ES, And Case Conversion. Finally, I would like to tell you a good news: September 24, 2001, Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer published a speech about Visual FoxPro 7.0.

In addition to introducing the new features of Visial FoxPro 7, he also represents Microsoft Commitment: Microsoft will continue to promote the development of Visual FoxPro to provide better support for global developers! It reads as follows: Hi, I'm Steve Ballmer from Microsoft, and it's my great pleasure to be able to talk to you about a newly released version 7 of Visual FoxPro Visual FoxPro 7 is a great tool for building database solutions of all sizes.. From multi-tiered database applications, to data-intensive COM components, and XML Web services.I hope you've heard by now about .NET, Microsoft's platform for next generation XML Web services. Visual FoxPro 7's support for XML standards, such as SOAP and WSDL, make it easy to create .NET Web services in the same environment you know and love today.Along with full support for WindowsXP, Visual FoxPro 7's XML support allows integration with .NET Enterprise Servers such as SQL Server 2000 and our BizTalk Server. and XML support in OfficeXP makes it easier than ever for Visual FoxPro 7 developers to import and export spreadsheets. Microsoft is committing to improve Visual FoxPro and continue to serve the needs of FoxPro developers worldwide.The developer community is core of us. We value the bet you're making on us. The time and energy you put into building great Visual FoxPro applications for Windows, and we will not let you down.We're committed to continually improving our tools to match Your Evolving Demands as Application Builders. We Think WE '