Fox-ism...

[Scott24x7]

Anyone know why the VFP team (and prior to that, I know a number of these stem back to the 2.x if not earlier), but why have the SYS() functions been perpetuated? Why the use of such a cryptic method for returning these values?

It would make MUCH more sense to have a function like CHECKSUM() than SYS(2007). There is nothing mystical or specificaly "System focused" about creating a checksum out of a string of digits... I can see something like SYS(9) to get the internal serial number of VFP, but even then, why not a SHOWSERIAL() or SERIALNUMBER() funciton? These are just cryptic, and burried for no reason I can tell. Anyone know the history/logic behind these things?

And it seems that some have VFP alternatives in later versions from their creation, yet still new SYS() functions get added with every version...

Like SYS(100) can be shown with SET('CONSOLE') along with a host of other SET functions...

I just find it amusing, and wonder if anyone else does too, and knows the WHY behind this?


Best Regards,
Scott

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, and no simpler."

 

[Scott24x7]

Griff,
Well, to be honest, I tend to try to navigate to native functions when mine get replaced for maintainability by others, for one. BUT the function has to do AT LEAST what mine used to. The biggest example I can think of in this case is MESSAGEBOX. I'm sure we all had some version of it in our 2.x bags. I had 2 functions one called ERRORPOP() Which really would have been better called MESSAGEPOP, but I used when I wanted to "Alert" my user of something that they had to "Press some key" to continue. (Any key made it go away). Then I had WINDOWMESSAGE which had 2 buttons, and I sometimes hacked to make 3... so both of these went away with MESSAGEBOX. There are times when I wish Messagebox did more, but I now find myself these days making my situation fit the capabilities of MESSAGEBOX than writing something "Unique" to deal with some interaction. It is very versital, so I tend to just use it.


Best Regards,
Scott

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, and no simpler."

 

[GriffMG]

I follow all that Scott - I came to VFP at version 3 (I think) and messagebox was there in all it's glory from day one for me - in Clipper I had to write my own D_MSG and E_MSG functions.

I'm lucky the maintainability thing isn't an issue, I write it and maintain it all myself - noone else gets a look in, 'cos there's no one else here!

Martin

Regards

Griff
Keep [Smile]ing

 

[Mike Lewis]

Griff,

I wouldn't go back to a working application to replace my functions with built-in ones, but I would definitely change any generic classes or framework code that I might reuse in other projects.

In fact, I get a certain amount of satisfaction from ripping out whole functions and procedures and replacing them with a single line of code. It's a bit like clearing out the cupboard under the stairs.

Mike




__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

My Visual FoxPro site: www.ml-consult.co.uk

 

[GriffMG]

I like your thinking Mike, I suspect I'm the same.

BTW Do you know of anyone who has upgraded from an XP machine to BackOffice Small Business Server 4.5?

I can't find anywhere on here to look ?

Regards

Griff
Keep [Smile]ing

 

[Mike Lewis]

Martin,

Do you know of anyone who has upgraded from an XP machine to BackOffice Small Business Server 4.5?

'Fraid not.

Mike


__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

My Visual FoxPro site: www.ml-consult.co.uk

 

[GriffMG]

Cheers for replying...

Regards

Griff
Keep [Smile]ing

 

[Dan Freeman]

>The language narc must be on ... drugs. WAIT WINDOW NOWAIT?

Can't blame that one on Microsoft. It's 100% Fox Software (along with EDIT NOEDIT <g>).

 

[alvechurchdata]

The biggest example I can think of in this case is MESSAGEBOX. I'm sure we all had some version of it in our 2.x bags.

Didn't we have MSGBOX in the 2.6 FoxTools? I feel its parameters weren't in the same order as MessageBox.

Geoff Franklin

http://www.alvechurchdata.co.uk

 

[Scott24x7]

Dunno... didn't touch FoxTools in the 'ol 2.x days. Tended to like writting functions in a way that I knew they would work reliably. Not to say that they didn't I just was never a fan.


Best Regards,
Scott

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, and no simpler."