Foxpro ! Did I make a right choice?

[Gofret]

Hello everyone,

This is my first message

After using MSAccess for several years I decided to learn another software to develop databases.

I decided that Foxpro is a good option for databse development although there were some disadvantages !

Mainly, most of the database programmers are using Delphi or Vb (vb6, .net etc.)

There are lots of help sites, code examples about these but not about Foxpro. Even on Microsoft site I couldnt find enough material about Foxpro.

My softwares are all database centric. From the database development point of view, did I make a right choice? Is it easy enough and powerfull?

I need your advises about Foxpro. That can be any web site or any book . Googling Foxpro brings many many sites so I am lost! I am just a starter, I dont know Foxpro yet but willing to learn it. How/where should I start?

regards

[dman]

Hi Gofret, welcome to MSFN.

You made a great choice from a technology and developer standpoint. The worst thing about VFP is trying to convince customers that it is the best thing to use. As you noticed, MS treats VFP like redhead stepson. It is kept alive grudgingly by MS because of dedicated developer base. They would much rather sell you a license for SQL server, and try to convince you that’s what you need to run a desktop db app. They hate the built-in database engine that they can’t extract royalties from. Unfortunately, because of no advertising for VFP, customers swallow this BS and demand .NET/SQL Server app for everything, even simple db app.

It usually takes at least 3 times more lines of code to do ANYTHING with VB than it does in VFP, and VFP is much faster.

VFP is also much more powerful than Access, and can easily access SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL or any other DB server. The language is also very elegant and concise, and is a true Object Oriented language implemented in a way that non-geniuses (ie. C++ coders) can understand and use.

Long Live VFP!

Look for books by whil hentzen, ed leafe, or marcus egger.

These are two of the biggest fox user groups

http://www.universalthread.com/

http://www.vfug.org/

EDIT: I might add, VFP is not just for database apps. It is great for creating all kinds of general-purpose applications, has full (almost) access to win32 API and other dll's and can create working apps more rapidly than any other language.

[purewaveform]

Well if you have been using Access, then probably you already use VB or somtheing of the like. Then VFP is a good choice. If you want to move up then you can just code to ODBC, then let the enduser choose what they want, then if they dont want to pick something then just have it use VFP.

[Gofret]

thanks for encouraging comments dman. The sites you mentioned look good. If you have any other recommendations I'll be glad to hear them.

edit: most of the books are related with previous versions. I have already own Foxpro9.0. I dont know whether there is or not huge differences between versions. Do have any specific book recommendation?

[dman]

Yes, most of the books are for previous versions because, as discussed, MS is pushing .NET. One of the great things about VFP is that it evolves, not changes. Any book covering VFP5,6,7,8,9 will be helpful. The IDE and language core heve been the same since v5, each new version then adds some enhancements.

I tried to PM you, but they are not showing up as "sent" so don't know if you got them. Email me at dettest@comcast.net and I will send you some stuff.