VFP is going to be a part Of MS Access Vista?

[iren]

Hi Experts,

Last year I happened to hear some rumours that in the near future VFP was going to be merged into MS Access Vista.
However, try as I might, I was unable to google any evidence.
Just wonder if it is truth and if it is a case, could you , address me to the information on-line (if any)?

Thank you in advance,

Iren

 

[Mike Lewis]

Iren,

Not only have I never heard this romour, but I've never heard of "MS Access Vista".

Access is database product (sort of). Vista is a version of Windows. You can run Access under Vista, but there's no specific product called "Access Vista" (as far as I know).

Anyway, I can't imagine how VFP can be merged with a product like Access. It doesn't make any sense to me.

Still, who knows? Microsoft might surprise us all.

Mike

__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Visual FoxPro tips, advice, training, consultancy
Custom software for your business

 

[iren]

Mike,

My understanding is that as long as VB is embedded into
MS Access then why VFP cannot? I mean just as having modules
written in VFP rather than in VB in order to implement loops.

 

[Mike Lewis]

OK, so we're talking about the same product: Microsoft Access (part of Microsoft Office). Right? Forget "Access Vista".

And you're talking about FoxPro being "embedded" in Access, rather than being "merged" with Access.

I suppose it would be technically possible for Microsoft to embed the VFP language in Access in the same way that VB is embedded. But why on earth would they want to? They're no longer developing new versions of VFP itself; they're winding down support for it; they're not even updating such essential components as ODBC drivers. It doesn't seem likely that they'd make VFP an important part of Access. In fact, it goes against their entire strategy.

I suppose it's possible that a third party might come up with some way of using the VFP language inside Access, but, again, I can't think of any good reason why anyone would bother.

Mike

__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Visual FoxPro tips, advice, training, consultancy
Custom software for your business

 

[iren]

I though that below statement did not exclude this way
"extended support through January 2015 as per the developer tools"

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/vfoxpro/bb190289.aspx

The thing is that I will have an interview very soon and one of the qulifications asks for at least one programming language for complex manipulation of SQL based data sources required (for ex. as VB embedded into Access).
Considering that my VB experience is not significant at all while FoxPro is, I am just trying to prepare myself for the interview. I mean...if it would supposed to be truth (and I definetely heard in the past) then I could mention it. Otherwise I will not. Thank you, Mike

 

[Mike Lewis]

Iren,

If you are required to have "at least one programming language for complex manipulation of SQL based data sources", I'd think you could put up a good case for Foxpro meeting that requirement.

If this was me, I would point out the VFP is now almost completely ANSI-92 SQL-compliant, and the knowledge and experience that I have gained from it could easily be transferred to other SQL implementations. I'd also stress my experience of creating advanced queries, of optimisation, database design -- all that sort of stuff.

I think that would have more of an impact than trying to convince the interviewer that VFP is something that it's not.

Anyway, good luck with the interview.

Mike


__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Visual FoxPro tips, advice, training, consultancy
Custom software for your business

 

[craigber]

In a way, VFP is already part of a Access. The default database for Access is the Jet database. Several years ago, Rushmore was added to Jet to speed it up.

But there are no plans to add VFP to Access in the furutre. VFP will not become part of Access. They are two different programming paradigms. In fact, the latest version of Access moves more toward macros than actual programming.

FYI, Access does not now, nor has it ever had VB. It has VBA, which is a subset of VB.



Craig Berntson
MCSD, Visual FoxPro MVP,

http://www.craigberntson.com/blog

 

[JRB-Bldr]

I agree with Mike.

"complex manipulation of SQL based data sources required (for ex. as VB embedded into Access)."

The fact of VB being 'embedded' (sort of..) in MS Access in no way, by itself, ensures that an Access developer has done "complex manipulation of SQL based data sources".

A VFP developer has as much opportunity to do that sort of work and become experienced in it as anyone else in another language.

One issue you might possibly face would be that many (most??) non-VFP developers don't have a clue as to the capabilities of VFP and the type of programs that can be developed using it. And others are flat-out prejudiced against VFP as it is just not (in their minds) 'mainstream' like VB.

So a portion of your interview may be doing a marketing job by 'educating' the individuals that you are speaking with about the complexity of the code you have written and the skill sets you have developed and utilized to accomplish the tasks.

It might serve you to describe the complexity of the tasks in the code you have written and how these tasks were done (SQL Queries, calls to SQL Server stored procedures, utization of SQL Pass-thru or ADO, etc.) rather than the specific language it was done in.

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr

 

[Nro]

Even VBA in MS Access 2007 (as other Office 2007 VBA) is based on VB 6 (released in 1998). It’s a very minor language, compare to VFP. They release VFP 6.0 the same year. Now, we are using VFP 9.0, a full OOP language, mature and very complete SQL language. MS do not put a lot of effort to ACCESS, but they still try to make it the first desktop database product on the market.

Good luck

Nro

 

[craigber]

Nro,

Unlike VFP, Access is still being updated. Access "programming" in 2007/2010 versions is less and less VBA and more and more macros.

Craig Berntson
MCSD, Visual FoxPro MVP,

http://www.craigberntson.com/blog