VFP 6.0 application on windows 7 1

[orleander]

Good afternoon,
Does anybody have any problem running a VFP 6.0 application on Windows 7? I have to support a VFP 6.0 third party application (so no source codes available) and recently we tried running it on windows 7 and it doesn't run. It gave me this error message "System Initialization Error" and then later it said "tractor.exe file does not exist" (even though it is there). Could somebody please help?
Thanks,
sw

 

[Olaf Doschke]

Do you just have the tractor.exe, or do you have a setup? A Foxpro application needs runtime DLLs accompanying it. VFP6R.DLL and a C runtime DLL at least. Ask the vendor for a setup.

Bye, Olaf.

 

[orleander]

It does have VFP6R.DLL and VFP6RENU.DLL. I don't have any info. about the vendor in hand right now. Will look for it. Thank you much.
sw

 

[Olaf Doschke]

What about the C runtime? Windows itself is also C based, but Win7 was done in a later of C than XP for example, that's why you need the older C runtime on Win7, while the same app may run on XP, as that runtime is part of the Window OS already.

Msvcrt.dll version 6.00.8168 is what a VFP6 exe will need. Also see [URL unfurl="true"]http://support.microsoft.com/kb/190869[/url].

Bye, Olaf.

 

[Mike Lewis]

One thing's that's not clear is whether this issue is specific to Windows 7 (as your thread title might suggest), or whether the problem has arisen simply because you have installed the app on a new computer.

In general, there's no reason for VFP 6.0 apps not to run under Windows 7. There are no specific incompatibilites. However, it might be worth trying to install on the app on an XP or Vista system if at all possible (one that has never had the app or VFP installed on it; or, failing that, perhaps a virtual XP machine). That will tell you if this is a indeed a Windows 7 issue, or if there is something missing from the setup.

Mike

__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Visual FoxPro articles, tips, training, consultancy

 

[orleander]

Olaf, Mike, thank you. I'll try installing Msvcrt.dll on that windows 7 machine to see if it fixes the problem. The application is on a network server, we put shortcut on the windows 7 computer to run it so I am not sure if it's the setup.
Thank you and have a nice day.
sw

 

[orleander]

Olaf,
I found Msvcrt.dll in c:\windows\system32 directory on that Windows 7 machine, not sure what version it is thought (how do I find out what version?). Any thought on what caused the application not running?
Thanks,
sw

 

[Olaf Doschke]

Version is a file property. Right click on the file, choose properties. In the properties dialog select the Details register card.

You can also show file version as a file property in a column of windows explorer.

Bye, Olaf.

 

[gomaram]

I am using VFP 6.x without installing application, i just copy VFP directory in server or working computer and giving path to execute application. never had any problem.

Regards
Ram

 

[Olaf Doschke]

Ram, you are not allowed to redistribute VFP itself, only the runtime DLLs and your built EXE/APP/DLL.

Also in Windows versions prior to Vista (?) The C runtime also needed for a VFP compiled executable was present typically, as Windows itself also is C based. But since VFP6 is very old and Win7 new, those C runtime versions don't match, so you need to distribute the correct C runtime version together with your EXE.

By the way, VFP does not install all it's components into the Home() folder, so you are also lucky, if your EXE works this way. VFP installs it's runtime files into Program Files/Common Files/Microsoft Shared/VFP where you install it and installs the C runtime into system32 or SySwow64 when needed. On a development PC you can simply run a vfp compiled exe anywhere, as the runtimes aree already takng care of. If collegues all also have a VFP license you can also run an EXE anywhere, but that's not true, if you go to a target cmoputer without VFP.

Also, Ram, please simply read just the question. orleander (sw) is talking about a VFP 6.0 third party application, which he didn't write himself, so he depends on the vendor having provided the application as a setup or at least as the minimum files needed to run the EXE.

Bye, Olaf.

 

[orleander]

Olaf,
We have version 7.0.7601.17744 and it indicates it is included with windows 7 OS, should I replace it with the older one (version 6.00.8168)? And if yes, where can I safely download that file?
Thank you for all your help.
sw

 

[Olaf Doschke]

No, of course you shouldn't replace it, you should put the right msvcrt.dll version into the folder of your VFP6 application.

Bye, Olaf.