VFP front end Sql 2000 backend

[kstart]

I have an account that wants a Sql2000 backend. I have used VFP only in the past. I want to know if I am starting from the ground up should I, A. design it and upsize it? or B. design tables in Sql2000 and link to it from VFP9. Either way how will I get the resulting tables on the customers Sql server? Any help in this area will be appreciated, Thanks.

 

[craigsboyd]

Go into the Enterprise manager of SQL Server, make a new database and add a diagram to it. Then plug all your tables and relationships in on the diagram, it will be very visual and relatively easy to get the hang of it this way. Get some equivalency information for data types between VFP and SQL Server so you'll know what types of fields you want to make (Google search should turn up plenty of these).

Design your UI and whatever else you need in VFP and use a combination of Updateable Remote Views in your VFP datavase (just use the database as a shell to hold the Remote Views - this DBC can also prove handy when you find a good use for a local table in your application) and SQLEXEC() commands to interface with SQL Server. As you get the swing of things you might try your hand at creating some sprocs and views on the SQL Server database... you'll find this useful and it will ultimately make things more maintainable and increase your app's performance.

Those are some pretty general starter guidelines (read: opinions) from me.

http://www.sweetpotatosoftware.com

 

[craigber]

Do it in SQL Server right from the start. You can get the Developer Edition of SQL Server for about $50 US.

In addition to the VFP docs, here are some places to get started. Some of these articles are a bit dated and talk about some technologies that are no longer used (RDS for example), but still contain some good information.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/archive/en-us/dnarfoxgen/html/msdn_bko01.asp

http://msdn.microsoft.com/archive/en-us/dnarfoxgen/html/msdn_fpsqlcs.asp

http://msdn.microsoft.com/archive/en-us/dnarfoxgen/html/msdn_bko02.asp

http://msdn.microsoft.com/archive/en-us/dnarfoxgen/html/msdn_usevfp.asp

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/dnfoxgen/html/adojump.asp

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/dnsql2k/html/sql_embeddingmsde.asp

There are some sample chapters you can download from

http://www.hentzenwerke.com/catalog/csvfp.htm

Craig Berntson
MCSD, Visual FoxPro MVP,

http://www.craigberntson.com

Author, CrysDev: A Developer's Guide to Integrating Crystal Reports"

 

[kstart]

Thanks everyone. I already have and am using Sql2000 dev. I just nned to know how to get the tables on the customers computer if I make an EXE for the front end in VFP.

 

[craigber]

You can have SQL Server generate a SQL Script that will do it for you. From Enterprise Manager, right-click on the database and select All Tasks > Generate SQL Scripts. Then you run the script on the client's server.

Craig Berntson
MCSD, Visual FoxPro MVP,

http://www.craigberntson.com

Author, CrysDev: A Developer's Guide to Integrating Crystal Reports"