Simplechart for Win 7 etc

[Bryan - Gendev]

I had this useful control in my app but found that after Vista it didn't work.

Is there an upgraded control that will work with WIN 7 and 8

Simplechart came from

http://www.ml-consult.co.uk/foxst-27.htm

GenDev

 

[Olaf Doschke]

Is it really Win7 or 8? This codfe of Mike depends on MSCHRT20.OCX, which perhaps doesn't come with newer versions of Word anymore. I don't think it was a part of windows in any earlier version, though.

Your problem reimains, but it's the problem to get the MSCHRT20.OCX, it's not coming with VFP and it's not mentioned in redist.txt, so you always depended on your clients having it already.

Well, that said gdiplusx is a nice library and the FoxCharts subproject can produce very nifty charts:

http://vfpx.codeplex.com/wikipage?title=FoxCharts

Bye, Olaf.

 

[DSummZZZ]

I have an app which uses Mike's simplechart implementation. I ended up just copying 'mschrt20.ocx' to the default directory of the executable. We have tons of W7 machines and of course, that control can be copied and registered on each machine, but...

As a side not, the gdiplusx charts stuff Olaf mentioned works quite well too.


-Dave Summers-

Even more Fox stuff at:

http://www.davesummers.net/foxprolinks.htm

 

[Bryan - Gendev]

I have reinstituted simple chart and it runs fine in WIN 7 and WIN 8 as you implied.

I'm trying to setup foxcharts but I cant open the help file.

GenDev

 

[Olaf Doschke]

I downloaded foxcharts 1.20 and there is no CHM in the download at all, what are you talking about?

Did you download foxcharts at all?

http://vfpx.codeplex.com/wikipage?title=FoxCharts

is the home of foxcharts, the download button at the right leads you to all VFPX downloads, not just foxcharts. Foxcharts liek many other projects is just a sub project of VFPX overall, that's why it is that way.

Do you know VFPX at all? You miss a lot of good stuff.

Bye, Olaf.

 

[Bryan - Gendev]

Olaf,

Yes I am aware of VFPX and look for items to add to my app.

I have a file FoxChartsHelp.chm which I d/l yesterday. How do I open this?

GenDev

 

[Dan Freeman]

Double click it in Windows explorer.

CHM is a help file. The VFP help file is a CHM. If you can open the VFP help file, you should be able to open any other help file.

 

[Bryan - Gendev]

Well, there's the rub - when I x2 click in explorer it opens in notepad++. When I open it in VFP I get what you see on the attached url

http://beesoft.soho.on.net/errortest.htm

GenDev

 

[Olaf Doschke]

You've got your file associations whacked, perhaps Notepad++ grabbed a few too much to be opened with it.

I you double click a chm it should open up as any help opens up with F1 in the application it's associated with. CHM files normally also open without being "embedded" by a simple double click.

To open up a CHM file in VFP you don't MODIFY FILE, that gives you the same gibberish binary data viewed as ascii text, like opening files in an text file editor.

You can use CHM to make your own help system via SET HELP TO some.CHM and then HELP opens it. If you do so, remember to set it back to the foxpro help.

Bye, Olaf.

 

[Mike Lewis]

GenDev, as your original question was partly aimed at me, my apologies for not replying sooner. I've been on the road for a few days, and couldn't access the forum.

As I stated in my documentation, SimpleChart requires MSCHRT20.OCX, which comes with VFP 6.0 and above. You need to distribute this file with your application. The easiest way of doing that is simply to copy it to the executable's directory (as Dave pointed out). MSCHRT20.OCX is not normally present on end-users' systems.

There are many apps using SimpleChart running under Windows 7 (and Vista), and I've had no reports of any problems with these that are related to the OS. I haven't tested it under Windows 8 yet.

Having said all that, please keep in mind that I wrote SimpleChart over ten years ago. I agree with what the others have said about using GDIPlusX. If I ever have the energy to do a new version of SimpleChart (which is unlikely), I would probably base it on GDIPlusX rather than MSCHRT20.OCX.

Mike

__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Visual FoxPro articles, tips, training, consultancy

 

[Olaf Doschke]

Thanks, Mike,

that should help gendev. I also see MSCHRT20 really comes with VFP and despite what I said is mentioned in redist.txt as MSCHRT20.MSM

Bye, Olaf.

 

[Dan Freeman]

Well, there's the rub - when I x2 click in explorer it opens in notepad++.[/url]

As Olaf says, your file associations in the registry are whacked. I cannot imagine Notepad++ doing this on its own. It is generally far better behaved, but that's neither here nor there.

Right click on the CHM file in Windows Explorer and choose "Open with...". In the resulting dialog, locate and choose "Microsoft(R) HTML Help Executable". (It *should* be on top of the list, but we've already established that your system defaults are a little whacked.) To make this change permanent, check the box that says "Always use the selected program to open this kind of file".

None of this has anything to do with Foxpro, of course. This is basic Windows behavior.

 

[Bryan - Gendev]

Mike,

Thanks, as I indicated I have simple charts working in Win 7 and Win 8 now.

OT - I don't see "Microsoft(R) HTML Help Executable" on the list of default programs - maybe it isn't distributed with Win 8. I can't get to fathom Foxcharts without seeing the help file.

My file associations are 'mainly out of the box' with minor mods. Ike I'm trying to do with 'chm' but can't find the executable to open it.

GenDev

 

[Olaf Doschke]

The way to change a file association with this dialog coming up for non associated file extension is not the best way to do it anyway. There's more to it, than just specifing what exe to start for which file extension.

Eg foxpro itself is associated with many different formats like DBF (data/table) PRG (source code) VCX (multiple classes, source code, but source code embedded in a table). For example, if you would re-associate the extension dbf with foxpro, it would open DBFs with the program editor instead of a browse! Been there, done that.

Even if you say your file extensions are mainly out of the box and you didn't do anything with CHM, a program installation can have done that, a deinstallation can have done that. Your association are obviously not as they were out of the box. To support that I have now found and doenloaded the seperate FoxCahrts Help CHM file and it works here with VFDP7, so it's not the file, which is broken, it's your system. As dan said this has nothing to do with VFP, this is about Windows itself.

If you have the same effect in your Win7 and 8 it may have to do with a software you installed on both. And I can second dan it's not notepad++, too. Not on it's own. I did install it and CHMs still work normal. It's also not VFP, obviously both dan and I have that installed, too.

So I suggest you go for a Windows Forum or try Microsoft Answers, how to fix CHM file association the right way. I fear the mere association with the Microsoft(R) HTML Help Executable will not be sufficient.

Bye, Olaf.

 

[Koen Piller]

Olaf,

FoxCharts1.20 - Cesar's and others work (there exists by the way alreadye version 1.23) is to be found at VFPX is has included a helpfile. All te be found at

http://vfpx.codeplex.com/releases/view/18515

Gendev however is talking about the application made by Mike Lewis for which information to be found at:

http://www.ml-consult.co.uk/foxst-27.htm

Both applications make charts and have a complete different architecture and should not be mixed.

Regards,

Jockey(2)

 

[Olaf Doschke]

Jockey,

gendev was talking about the FoxCharts.chm specifically. We were also talking about Mike Lewis Simplechartst, but there is no CHM involved.

I downloaded FoxCharts and it doesn't include the FoxChart.CHM, it's a seperate downlod, that may have been different, but now the two direct download links are
1. Foxcharts:

http://vfpx.codeplex.com/downloads/get/97914

2. Foxcharts Help:

http://vfpx.codeplex.com/downloads/get/72253

So the CHM is not included.

Bye, Olaf.

 

[Koen Piller]

Olaf,

You are so correct, the helpfile of Foxcharts is only available with a separate download, but once you have done that you have a file FoxChartsHelp.chm which is rather complete.
Lucky the VFPX team placed them both in the same location,

http://vfpx.codeplex.com/releases/view/18515.

Regards,

Jockey(2)

 

[Olaf Doschke]

Yes, Jockey, this is also where I found the two downloads together.

But in the first place I started from FoxCharts Home (

http://vfpx.codeplex.com/wikipage?title=FoxCharts),

clicked on the big purple download button on the right side, which leads you to *all* VFPX downloads (

http://vfpx.codeplex.com/releases),

not to the FoxCharts downloads.

Instead you must scroll down a bit in FoxCharts Home and click on "Download the latest release of FoxCharts".

This is merely my fault. Gendev has found that download before I did. Congrats.

Overall this is just due to the fact VFPX is one big codeplex project with so many subprojects. This has it's pros and cons.

Bye, Olaf.

 

[cchalom]

Hi Olaf,

Yes, VFPX became very big, and the CodePlex structure makes thigs sometimes very messy.
IMO, the best would be to separate all VFPX projects and publish them in CodePlex separately, having links from the main VFPX page.

FoxCharts is a project from 2008. I have may ideas, and hope to get back to it shortly, applying some few fixes and adding new chart types as well.

 

[Olaf Doschke]

Not your fault, Cesar, in this case I'm to blame. Maybe each sub project should have a link to downloads at it's top, so you're not attracted by that big download button from Codeplex.

I think it would be an organisational nightmare to split the VFPX project now, wouldn't it? Wouldn't there be a lot of things to do in each new Codeplex project to add people in their current roles, take over downloads, descriptions etc. etc. etc.?

If others easily find the downloads, that's nothing to worry about, anyway.

Bye, Olaf.