User interface in Foxpro 2.6. Need help.

[csallee]

Hello everyone. I am new to this web site and I am semi new to Foxpro (<1 year). We use 2.6 for windows and 2.0 for DOS here at work. I have been presented with a project from my supervisor that I need some help with. Here is a copy of the email that decribes what I am trying to accomplish. (I should tell you what we do here to help you understand better). We produce rubber stoppers for the medical industry. We are at

http://www.westpharma.com

Start email:
As we progress towards moving many of the MES systems to SQL based databases, many reports that we currently run will have to be rewritten. As a &quot;training&quot; project, but something that will make managing the securities on the Shop Floor manageable, please look into developing the following:

* Interface that allows you to choose operator (i.e., name, number) -> ability to add or delete employee
* Display the securities that the individual has
* Edit capabilities to add and subtract securities.


This program will have most all the elements that will be required when we are modifying the reports. The major difference is that this program is 100% Foxpro.

If you find a training class or so, please see me and we'll see if you can go. See me for further information.
End email:

I thank you all in advance for any help you may give. I look forward to being a part of this forum, learning and helping as much as I can.

 

[DSummZZZ]

So what are you asking? Are you asking how to write a security system or where to find classes?
You won't find any classes on FoxPro any more. You will for Visual Foxpro though.
For a security system, create a security table and make buttons to add, edit, or delete users.
Dave S.

 

[JRB-Bldr]

Welcome to the forum.

We typically won't give you the FULL answer to your issue since that might take quite a bit of time. But we will give you suggestions and/or advice towards achieving your goal. A number of us are available to provide contract services, but that is done off-line.

But the email makes it clear that this specific project is to also serve the purpose of being a learning (training) tool and hiring it out would eliminate that benefit to you.

As to your need...
It looks as though you are being asked to make a rather simple User Manitenance screen/application. There are quite a few ways to approach the issue.

But before you begin, you need to design the functional specification of the project.
* Does your data need to be encrypted to prevent others from getting into the &quot;raw&quot; data tables and seeing the contents?
* Do you need to have security controlled access to the screen/application itself?
* How many layers of user security need to be supported?
* Where will this user security be enforced (possibly another application)?
* Do you want to be able to Browse through all users in a single screen to make your selection to modification?
* and more......

Get the functional requirements of the project clearly identified first. From that more clear level of understanding you will be able to plan out the programatic needs and to tackle each one separately. In that means you can then proceed through everything for which you need no help and than ask specific questions to the forum for the other stuff.

Also once the programatic pieces have been &quot;mapped out&quot;, it will be much easier to look at the best way to approach the project and to see what level of program complexity needs to be involved.

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr
VisionQuest Consulting
Business Analyst & CIO Consulting Services
CIOServices@yahoo.com

 

[csallee]

Yeah, unfortunatly I know about the classes no longer being available !! I have had to teach myself most of what I know from books and trial and error. That's why I turned to you guys. What I need is to develop an interface where I can go in and add users, give/take rights, display current securities and delete users. Just like my boss wrote after the asteriks in red. When a add a new employee to the Db, I have to go into up to 6 Dbs to enter info.

 

[JRB-Bldr]

&quot;What I need is to develop an interface where I can go in and add users, give/take rights, display current securities and delete users. When I add a new employee to the Db, I have to go into up to 6 Dbs to enter info.&quot;

Most of us have created applications/screens like you need at one time or another.

We will be happy to help you, but we need to focus things down on more specific issues to be the most beneficial to you while still allowing you the opportunity to learn from the effort.

Work with your boss to generate a fully defined functional specification. Then, using that, break the project into a number of smaller functional projects. Identify what you need help with and what you do not. Then come back to post a more targeted question.

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr
VisionQuest Consulting
Business Analyst & CIO Consulting Services
CIOServices@yahoo.com

 

[csallee]

I know how he wanted things. The thing is that he isn't available for help much at all anymore !!! He was laterally promoted and he no longer wants to help me out. My new supervisor knows much less than I do about Foxpro. I should have been more clear about that in my description in the begining. He was my supervisor at the time he assigned it to me, but now he is not, but the project would still benefit me I believe. It will make my daily job much nicer.
What do you guys need from me to get started. I want an interface similar to Windows. Open a file, click on a button to enter an employee's name and then after that click either add/delete/modify user. And so on....
Once again, thank you guys. Keep in mind, I am very green to this. I need details.

 

[JRB-Bldr]

Since we don't seem to be getting any closer to an answer to your problem and we aren't contributing useful information to other forum users, I'd suggest that you reach me via my email address and we communicate off-line.

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr
VisionQuest Consulting
Business Analyst & CIO Consulting Services
CIOServices@yahoo.com

 

[DSummZZZ]

If you take a look at some of the examples in the directories located off of the foxpro start up directory, you may glean some good information from them.
Dave S.

 

[csallee]

Thank you guys for all your help. I am looking for a publication right now on how to write new programs, but no luck so far. We have some programs here that were written by a guy that is no longer here. If I could just look at the code on how it was written that would help, but I don't know how to do it.

jrbbldr, I will email you soon so we can work together on it.
Thank you,

 

[tilltek]

I used a book by Jeb Long. Worked for me.
Ken F

 

[csallee]

Tilltek,
What is the title of that book and where could I get one? I need a publication that will deconstruct the procedure for writing simple and complex programs in FP 2.6. I looked at my local book store to no avail.
Thank you,

 

[tilltek]

The original I found in a book store around 7 or 8 years ago but just last year I found a VFP one by the same author on the net by searching for &quot;Jeb Long&quot; + foxpro.
I'm sure there are lots of others. Why not ask here in the forum?
Ken F

 

[Lauradc]

Csallee,

Since you've been using Fox for several months, you've at least learned how to create .DBF files, right?

If you're doing this project in FPW26 (FoxPro for Windows 2.6a), you should be able to do this:

1. Create a .DBF with fields for all the data you want to see on the screen.

2. Run the screen-generating wizard to create a screen.

3. Choose Program | Generate... from the menu and create a .SPR file.

4. Place this command in your main program:

DO _______.SPR

(where _______ is whatever you named it in step #3 above)

If this is something that I will be handing off to less-sophisticated users to run, I will go to a lot more trouble in the user interface. I will work it up in a project and create a stand-alone executable program.

If this is something that I will be running myself, I may use only a few lines of code to set up the environment and the loop that causes the screen to re-appear until I want it to stop.

Those lines might be simply:

CLOSE ALL
CLEAR ALL
CLEAR
SET CENTURY ON
SET TALK OFF
SET DEFAULT TO _______________ (the directory I want it to look for program components in)

PUBLIC RUNNING

* I frequently open files myself (rather than letting the screen-generator do it...just a quirk of mine):
IF USED('____')
SELECT _____
ELSE
SELECT 0
USE _____
ENDIF

STORE .T. TO RUNNING
DO WHILE RUNNING
DO MYSCREEN.SPR
ENDDO

Are you already familiar with the tools I've mentioned? Do you need to work up a more sophisticated application that included security-related features?

Laura

 

[csallee]

Laura,
Thank you very much. I will have to get started trying this. There are a few blanks that I will have to figure out how to fill in. I will be the only one using this program. I have one other lady that helps me, but she is pretty technical as well. I am just pretty green to this. I haven't had to create ANY programs before. I have just been &quot;maintaining&quot; the Dbs till now.