Which is the best Report Writer for VFP 6.0 and above version

[1010ash1957]

We are using at present VFP .0 to developing our application software plus VFP report writer. However we have demand from the customers to add some features like WEB based, Export to various format such as XLS, DOC, TXT , HTML, PDF, JPEG, user can change the Fonts/Styles,can highlight the selective text, colorto some text etc.

We will apprciate if yuo guys can help us in proposing which Report Writer tools would be the best without changing all the present VFP6 Report forms. We are using Foxpro2.0 database dbf files a a source database.

Please help.

Thanks

 

[Mike Gagnon]

Using XFRX you do not need to change your reports. I hear good thnigs about it.

http://www.eqeus.com/

Mike Gagnon

If you want to get the best response to a question, please check out FAQ184-2483 first.
ReFox XI (www.mcrgsoftware.com)

 

[TamarGranor]

I've worked with both XRFX and FRX2Any in the last year. I suggest you download the trial versions of both, and see which gives better results for your reports. I ended up using one for one project and the other for another because of such testing. They're both easy to get started with.

That said, both of those are post-processors that let you send the output of a VFP report to other formats. They don't provide a better experience of report design. For that, you need to look at FoxFire! or Stonefield Query.

Tamar

 

[1010ash1957]

Hi Mike/Tamar,
Thanks a lot for your suggestions and sharing your experience.

Could you also please give little idea aount Crystal Reports comparing to XFRX or FRX2Any?

Thanks you once again for your help.

 

[Mike Lewis]

1010ash1957,

I agree with the XFRX recommendation. I've used it in two large projects, with very good results. It makes it easy to export VFP reports to the format that you mentioned, although on its own it has no facility for letting users choose their own fonts, etc.

You also asked about Crystal Reports. The big difference is that Crystal Reports (CR) is a complete report designer in its own right, whereas XFRX and FRX2ANY are VFP reporting add-on tools. XFRX /FRX2ANY work with existing VFP FRX files, which you create in the VFP report designer in the usual way.

With CR, on the other hand, you create the reports with CR's own design tools. You then use either CR itself, or a third-party add-on, to display, print or export the reports. You can also display, print or export CR reports from within a VFP application, and you can provide the means for users to modify the reports, for example by changing the fonts, etc.

(But I'd be cautious about giving the user too much freedom over the design of your reports. With any reporting tool, using an ill-advised font or font size could easily muck up the design you worked so hard to perfect.)

For more information about using Crystal Reports with Visual FoxPro, see my article at

http://www.ml-consult.co.uk/foxst-19.htm

Mike

__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

My Visual FoxPro site: www.ml-consult.co.uk

 

[1010ash1957]

Mike Thanks again for your valuable advise. I have few questions and hope you can help me , as below..
- our applications were written initially using Foxpro 2.6
- we converted them as Functinal conversion using VFP 6.0
- using the same Foxpro 2.6 reports forms in VFP 6.0

my query is..... do i have to re-write all the report forms again in XFRX or i can just use the same ?

Please advise.

Ash

 

[Mike Lewis]

Ash,

do i have to re-write all the report forms again in XFRX

If they run in VFP, they'll run in XFRX.

Mike


__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

My Visual FoxPro site: www.ml-consult.co.uk

 

[mtchary]

You might consider ReportDepot as an easy-to-use Report Writer for your end-users. Here is the link where you can download a demo version of ReportDepot:

http://www.frx2any.com/downloads.php