Would you start a new project in VFP

[GriffMG]

Hmm

Just put in a proposal for a rewrite of an app I started in the year oatcake and have been enhancing and maintaining ever since. It was originally in Clipper Summer 87 I think, might have been 5.0, and migrated to xBase++ a few years ago.

Now I get to do it over, something I have avoided for years, and I seem to have a free hand (at the moment) the brief just says 'a fully windows environment'.

I'm sorely tempted to try and do it in VFP9 - I won't be able to use much of the existing gazillion lines of code, but I will be quick and comfortable.

But, would I be stitching my client up?

Regards

Griff
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[GriffMG]

Well, we seem to have an opinion handed down.

It has to be a SQL back end, but I can use a VFP front end...

So, now all I have to do is learn enough SQL to develop it...

Not done any VFP to SQL before, is it hard to learn?

B-)

Regards

Griff
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[Mike Lewis]

It has to be a SQL back end, but I can use a VFP front end...

Sounds like the dream ticket to me. You get the best of both worlds.

Not done any VFP to SQL before, is it hard to learn?

No. In most mainstream databases, the SQL is pretty much the same as VFP's. You will need to be aware of any particular syntax nuances or extensions, and these will depend on which back end you are using. But it shouldn't be a problem.

You'll also have to learn how to access the database from VFP. Again, that's not difficult. And there are plenty of folk here who can help you if you need it.

Mike

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Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Visual FoxPro articles, tips, training, consultancy

 

[GriffMG]

Thanks Mike

I'm still humming and hahhing about whether to use VFP, I don't have a PO yet, so I can still *think* about either VB or C#...

It'll be interesting...

Regards

Griff
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[Mike Lewis]

VB? C#? Surely you're not serious? <g> No, stay with VFP. You know it's the right thing to do.

By the way, have you made a decision about which back-end database to use? In some ways, that's a more important choice than the front-end language.

Mike




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Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

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[GriffMG]

Hi Mike,

I think the back end will be MS SQL 2008 R2.

I don't know WHERE it will be in relation to the users, hopefully locally rather than at HQ (worst of all possible situations).

I really haven't decided, I still have a few days to wrestle with it.

Regards

Griff
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[GriffMG]

Well, the client has found the funding to go the whole hog.

Visual Studio 2010 with SQL 2008 backend.

It's 50% more expensive than it would have been and adds 50%
to the timeline...

I *might* still be able to do it with a VFP front end, but I think I will have to BTB and pick either C# or VB.Net...

Regards

Griff
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[Mike Lewis]

I've I was forced to choose, I'd go for C# over VB.NET. But I don't say that with any enthusiasm.

Mike


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[JRB-Bldr]

It's 50% more expensive than it would have been and adds 50% to the timeline...

The customer is always RIGHT !!!

NOT

But at least they THINK they are !!!

Actually for a complete development language change, unless I was 100% familiar in detail with the original Clipper/XBase application and 100% comfortable with the new language, to play it safe I would have modified the quote cost & timeline by 100% to build in a CYA 'fudge factor' to handle any unforeseen gotchas.

Oh well, as long as they recognize the consequences of their decision and are willing to accept the associated modifications to the quote costs and timelines - after all, its their call.

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr

 

[GriffMG]

I should know the Clipper app pretty well. I wrote all 101,543 lines of it!

As for the alternate language version, I won't get another project in my lifetime that would pay for the learning curve.

I'm even *thinking* of going on a course...

Regards

Griff
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[JRB-Bldr]

I'm even *thinking* of going on a course...

There are some courses in learning to pilot a sailboat through the Caribbean that sound pretty good to me most of the time.

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr

 

[GriffMG]

That does sound nice, my last course was about 10 years ago... in VB6 if I remember rightly.



Regards

Griff
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[GriffMG]

Well, I've downloaded both VB.Net Express and C#.Net Express as well and played with both.

VB.Net is so far removed from the VB I know that I don't think it is worth learning... so I'm leaning toward C#

It does feel a little 'low level' - compared with VFP, but I've done a little Turbo C in the past to enhance Clipper, so that doesn't frighten me.

All this 'NameSpace' and 'classes' is going to be new and interesting, does anyone have any good suggestions as to where to start? I need to be 'good' at this in about 3 weeks...

Regards

Griff
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[Mike Lewis]

I learned C# from Beginning Visual C# 2005 Express Edition by Peter Wright (Apress, 2006). Despite the word "Beginning" in the title, it does go quite a long way into the language.

I found the Microsoft tutorials that come the Express products to be fairly useless.

Don't be put off by the unfamiliar terminology. It will fall into place before long.

Mike

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[GriffMG]

Thanks Mike - I will have a look at that.

As you know, I have never picked up any of this OOP stuff, until now nothing has made it necessary, or even desirable... Never saw an advantage, but even a knuckle dragger like me has to stand on two feet and step out into the light eventually!

B-)

I learnt HTML is 24 hours from a book... which probably explains my rather vanilla web sites!

Regards

Griff
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[DougHennig]

I took several of the courses at PluralSight and like them a lot.

Doug

 

[GriffMG]

Well, it is official.

I will probably be spending a bit more time on C# and SQL server forums for the next 40 weeks or so.

I have an instruction to start work.

I just want to thank everyone here who chipped in with their good advice and support.

I do feel a little daunted.

Regards

Griff
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[clipper01]

griff , interesting thread , am also a VFP old-timer , dabbling a bit in dotnet , my 2 cent worth ;
1) yes , C# is best , once you get used to discipline of case -senstive,classes etc , never look back
2)main strengths of VFP are the grid and reporting ability; in C# have found

http://www.prof-uis.com/elegant-grid/overview.aspx

to be a great grid and SQL reporting service is very powerful , but needs some tricks to get used to
3)tried WinForms and WPF , stick with WinForms
4)for data access LinqToSql , Entity Framwework , ADO.NET DataSets or plain ol SQL pass-through ; first 2 let u use LINQ but too much trouble,stick to last 2
5)SQL server 2008 back end ,no-brainer
6)critical to plan overall naming/class/project conventions

be glad to share any experience with you , very interested to see how it will turn out to produce an equivalent VFP app in C# , my guess would be at least 5 times , for first one anyhow

 

[GriffMG]

Thanks clipper01

I don't have a x5 option - I have x1.5.

Been doing tutorials all day, looks like a lot of it, OOP, is just a load of pOOP at the moment - to anyone who has been reusing code for 25 years having a language that is designed to help you do that looks like overkill.

I *think* that I think in a reusable way, but just don't use the terminology... still project starts on Wednesday - I have until then to become somewhat productive.

The first stage, milestone, is an executable - with an installer - that can identify local SQL servers, is able to find and download newer versions of itself (from the internet) and update itself from newer versions on a local area network.

Martin

Regards

Griff
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[clipper01]

sounds like you need to use ClickOnce deployment , google for info. I also have some apps that are working without a blink for 15 years+ , and might sometime soon plan to upgrade. I've been dabbling for about 2 years now in C# and still reckon any app would take 5x in dotNet ( I mean the kind of desktop app/local net app that VFP excels at , any kind of web-based app would be easier in dotNet). If you are intersted , can arrange to contact and colloborate.

 

[GriffMG]

Thank you clipper01 I will have a look at ClickOnce, but the idea is to demonstrate productivity - so I really need to get coding myself.

Regards

Griff
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