Are there enough reasons to justify moving from Visual FoxPro 6.0 to 8.0? I haven't done any research yet, my boss just asked me if upgrading would help me out enough to be worth it. I am just learning foxpro, so I'm not engrossed in the ways 6.0 works or anything like that, so switching over would not be a major problem for me, just want to hear what you all (the experts) think about 8.0 compared to 6.0. Thanks all for your time.
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VFP 8.0 vs. 6.0
- Thread starter shenlon
- Start date
Neil Toulouse
Programmer
Thanks Craig!
Well that does it for me, there seems no reason at all now not to upgrade to v8 if it is (essentially) just a case of re-compiling!
Neil
"I like work. It fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours..."
Well that does it for me, there seems no reason at all now not to upgrade to v8 if it is (essentially) just a case of re-compiling!
Neil
"I like work. It fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours..."
You may run into some things, but they should be minor.
Craig Berntson
MCSD, Visual FoxPro MVP, Author, CrysDev: A Developer's Guide to Integrating Crystal Reports"
Craig Berntson
MCSD, Visual FoxPro MVP, Author, CrysDev: A Developer's Guide to Integrating Crystal Reports"
Neil Toulouse
Programmer
Hi Craig!
You have me worried again!!!
"You may run into some things, but they should be minor"
Could you give any examples of what these minor things might be?!!
Thanks
Neil
"I like work. It fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours..."
You have me worried again!!!
"You may run into some things, but they should be minor"
Could you give any examples of what these minor things might be?!!
Thanks
Neil
"I like work. It fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours..."
Neil Toulouse
Programmer
Rick
You said earlier in this thread that:
"The VFP 8.0 runtimes are supported on all but Win 95 and NT"
Does this mean the runtime files are not compatible with 95 and NT, or do you mean they will work but don't expect Microsoft to do anything if you experience weird behaviour?
I am desperate to upgrade us to v8 but I need to be sure of all the possible problems we may encounter!!
TIA
Neil
"I like work. It fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours..."
You said earlier in this thread that:
"The VFP 8.0 runtimes are supported on all but Win 95 and NT"
Does this mean the runtime files are not compatible with 95 and NT, or do you mean they will work but don't expect Microsoft to do anything if you experience weird behaviour?
I am desperate to upgrade us to v8 but I need to be sure of all the possible problems we may encounter!!
TIA
Neil
"I like work. It fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours..."
Neil,
Some of the graphics capabilities are not supported in W95 and NT. GDI+ is one big new feature that VFP 8.0 has used. Some have reported just copying the GDI+ .DLL onto the machine will allow most things to work, BUT as you hinted at MS doesn't support it or anything else that might be troublesome. (Obviously the XP Themes features also won't work, but that's true under 98, ME and 2000 too!) The best way to know for sure (as always), is to test your application on all possible user configurations -supported or not.
Rick
Some of the graphics capabilities are not supported in W95 and NT. GDI+ is one big new feature that VFP 8.0 has used. Some have reported just copying the GDI+ .DLL onto the machine will allow most things to work, BUT as you hinted at MS doesn't support it or anything else that might be troublesome. (Obviously the XP Themes features also won't work, but that's true under 98, ME and 2000 too!) The best way to know for sure (as always), is to test your application on all possible user configurations -supported or not.
Rick
Don't worry, they should be minor. The thing that comes to mind is the VFP 7 & 8 are more picky on syntax. For example, in VFP6, you can do:
LOCAL MyVar1 MyVar2
This will cause an error now because there is no comma between the two variables.
Craig Berntson
MCSD, Visual FoxPro MVP, Author, CrysDev: A Developer's Guide to Integrating Crystal Reports"
LOCAL MyVar1 MyVar2
This will cause an error now because there is no comma between the two variables.
Craig Berntson
MCSD, Visual FoxPro MVP, Author, CrysDev: A Developer's Guide to Integrating Crystal Reports"
Neil Toulouse
Programmer
Thanks for the responses, I will just have to bite-the-bullet and give it a go!
Neil
"I like work. It fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours..."
Neil
"I like work. It fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours..."
justamistere
Programmer
Can MS tell us on what type of OS to run the Distributables on? Is that legal? It may be until it is challenged. It is like many examples you can think of. Such as if Ford sold aftermarket tires or car stereos that can only be put on Ford cars. Unfortunately, historically, during weak economies the Gov. is lenient with trust-busting and market cornering.
Yes, they can, since they own the runtimes. You simply purchase a license to use and distribute them and agree to abide by that license when you break the shrink wrap.
Your example of buying a Ford is flawed since you purchase the car, not a license to use the car.
Craig Berntson
MCSD, Visual FoxPro MVP, Author, CrysDev: A Developer's Guide to Integrating Crystal Reports"
Your example of buying a Ford is flawed since you purchase the car, not a license to use the car.
Craig Berntson
MCSD, Visual FoxPro MVP, Author, CrysDev: A Developer's Guide to Integrating Crystal Reports"
Neil Toulouse
Programmer
My biggest concern is that whilst I would guess our users are no longer Win95 (although I cannot rule this out), I know that many of them may be still NT users.
Whilst I don't really have a problem with MS 'dictating' the OS (as it is really the only way to move a product or technology forward), I am not in a position to 'dictate' what OS's our users use, and we have a massive userbase from many different organistaions.
If we have to revert back to VFP6 if it becomes a problem, so be it. Even though MS are not supporting the version anymore, as long as there is a forum like this in existence surely the product survives??
As long as the version 8 runtimes 'work' but unsupported I can't see it being a major issue for a straight upgrade.
Neil
"I like work. It fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours..."
Whilst I don't really have a problem with MS 'dictating' the OS (as it is really the only way to move a product or technology forward), I am not in a position to 'dictate' what OS's our users use, and we have a massive userbase from many different organistaions.
If we have to revert back to VFP6 if it becomes a problem, so be it. Even though MS are not supporting the version anymore, as long as there is a forum like this in existence surely the product survives??
As long as the version 8 runtimes 'work' but unsupported I can't see it being a major issue for a straight upgrade.
Neil
"I like work. It fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours..."
HOWEVER, there are similar controversies were a printer is designed to work only with print cartridges made by the same manufacturer. (I think it was Lexmark)
They accomplish this by putting a copywrited chip in the cartridge... if the chip isn't there, the printer won't accept it. When competitors duplicated the chip's responses, the manufacturer shouted "Copywrite infringement."
Here, you DO buy the printer, yet you're limited in what you can do with it. It would be like Ford putting a copywrited chip in their radio's and requiring you to use one of those radios.
Many companies in a capitalist system are supplying a different commodity than they say they are:
Of course, Ford is in the Car business, not the Radio business.... yet MS is in the OS/Application business, Not the developer tool business, just like Lexmark is in the Printer Ink business, not the Printer business. TV Stations suppply Viewers to their Advertisers; Magazines suppliy Eyes to their advertisers, etc.
They accomplish this by putting a copywrited chip in the cartridge... if the chip isn't there, the printer won't accept it. When competitors duplicated the chip's responses, the manufacturer shouted "Copywrite infringement."
Here, you DO buy the printer, yet you're limited in what you can do with it. It would be like Ford putting a copywrited chip in their radio's and requiring you to use one of those radios.
Many companies in a capitalist system are supplying a different commodity than they say they are:
Of course, Ford is in the Car business, not the Radio business.... yet MS is in the OS/Application business, Not the developer tool business, just like Lexmark is in the Printer Ink business, not the Printer business. TV Stations suppply Viewers to their Advertisers; Magazines suppliy Eyes to their advertisers, etc.
There is no difference between what you describe and what game console manufacturers are doing. Currently, the DOJ is invenstigating the gaming console industry and I'm sure Lexmark will be watching that investigation closely.
Craig Berntson
MCSD, Visual FoxPro MVP, Author, CrysDev: A Developer's Guide to Integrating Crystal Reports"
Craig Berntson
MCSD, Visual FoxPro MVP, Author, CrysDev: A Developer's Guide to Integrating Crystal Reports"
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