What else is there like VFP?

The original dbase and to some extent all of the xbase descendants like VFP
are interactive, adhoc, one-command-at-a time, data creation, data
examination, and data manipulation languages.

Starting with a few commands in the Command Window, you can feel your way
into a problem and eventually build a program with reports, queries,
screens, etc. xbase is like a giant calculator with a ton of functions.

My question is, is there any product or environment out there that has the
same simplicity and flexibility as xbase?

Should one be learning or experimenting with some other programming
environment? (esp. if VFP wanes). What would it be?

Man-wai
Sun Oct 29 06:48:36 CST 2006

> Starting with a few commands in the Command Window, you can feel your way
> into a problem and eventually build a program with reports, queries,
> screens, etc. xbase is like a giant calculator with a ton of functions.
> My question is, is there any product or environment out there that has the
> same simplicity and flexibility as xbase?

I hate to say that, but Python is using such an approach.

> Should one be learning or experimenting with some other programming
> environment? (esp. if VFP wanes). What would it be?

My current interest is Linux+Apache+MySQL+PHP+Ajax.


--
.~. Might, Courage, Vision, SINCERITY. http://www.linux-sxs.org
/ v \ Simplicity is Beauty! May the Force and Farce be with you!
/( _ )\ (Ubuntu 6.06) Linux 2.6.18
^ ^ 20:47:01 up 4 days 17:52 0 users load average: 1.02 1.02 1.00
news://news.3home.net news://news.hkpcug.org news://news.newsgroup.com.hk

Peter
Sun Oct 29 23:56:24 CST 2006

That (Linux+Apache+MySQL+PHP+Ajax) doesnt seem as integrated a solution as
VFP. I'm asking is there an single environment or shell that is as
convenient as the Command Window?


"Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:u6A6Ni1%23GHA.1172@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> Should one be learning or experimenting with some other programming
>> environment? (esp. if VFP wanes). What would it be?
>
> My current interest is Linux+Apache+MySQL+PHP+Ajax.

Krister
Mon Oct 30 01:32:54 CST 2006

"Peter Rooney" <magnetix@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:cug1h.1244$LI4.949@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> That (Linux+Apache+MySQL+PHP+Ajax) doesnt seem as integrated a solution as
> VFP. I'm asking is there an single environment or shell that is as
> convenient as the Command Window?
>
>
> "Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:u6A6Ni1%23GHA.1172@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>> Should one be learning or experimenting with some other programming
>>> environment? (esp. if VFP wanes). What would it be?
>>
>> My current interest is Linux+Apache+MySQL+PHP+Ajax.
>
>

Nothing compares to the the command window in Foxpro. You can do amazing
things with it, and it's your toolbox during development. Typically you can
use it to create and maintain databases, tables and indexes, test syntax,
test run code snippets (even iterations are allowed in direct mode).

Other pro's are:
- powerful programming language (nothing is lacking!)
- data centric commands and functions
- object orientation and xBase combined
- very fast database engine for desktop applications ("Nothing runs like
the Fox")
- good C/S possibilities with built-in or external databasess
- easy to make stand-alone applications and COM servers
A couple of features that you will have problems to find anywere:
- very powerful macro substitution
- ability to compile and run code in runtime (function execscript)

(Did I miss something important?)

BTW - why are you looking for something else - what do you miss in VFP?

sim
Mon Oct 30 03:23:48 CST 2006

I use (Apache+VFP+AFPages) for my web application.

See this: http://www.mybssolutions.com

Well, it works for both MySQL and Dbf/cdx.

Still stay with VFP command windows. But coding in Notepad only.

Regards
Hoe


"Peter Rooney" <magnetix@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:cug1h.1244$LI4.949@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> That (Linux+Apache+MySQL+PHP+Ajax) doesnt seem as integrated a solution as
> VFP. I'm asking is there an single environment or shell that is as
> convenient as the Command Window?
>
>
> "Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:u6A6Ni1%23GHA.1172@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>> Should one be learning or experimenting with some other programming
>>> environment? (esp. if VFP wanes). What would it be?
>>
>> My current interest is Linux+Apache+MySQL+PHP+Ajax.
>
>
>

Dan
Mon Oct 30 14:16:25 CST 2006

Nothing is as interactive as Foxpro (or any of the Xbase variants).

If I was absolutely forced to begin a new development project in something
other than VFP today, I'd look long and hard at REALbasic. It has the
advantage nobody else has of having its own internal database engine as well
as access to external servers, and it compiles to cross-platform (Windows,
Mac, Linux) apps from one code base.

For web development, it's a wide-open field.

Thank God I don't have to make that decision today, though, and by the time
I do the entire industry is likely to have changed.

Dan

Peter Rooney wrote:
> That (Linux+Apache+MySQL+PHP+Ajax) doesnt seem as integrated a
> solution as VFP. I'm asking is there an single environment or shell
> that is as convenient as the Command Window?
>
>
> "Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:u6A6Ni1%23GHA.1172@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>> Should one be learning or experimenting with some other programming
>>> environment? (esp. if VFP wanes). What would it be?
>>
>> My current interest is Linux+Apache+MySQL+PHP+Ajax.

tony_becky_mikey_verizon_news
Mon Oct 30 23:24:46 CST 2006


"Peter Rooney" <magnetix@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:cug1h.1244$LI4.949@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> That (Linux+Apache+MySQL+PHP+Ajax) doesnt seem as integrated a solution as
> VFP. I'm asking is there an single environment or shell that is as
> convenient as the Command Window?
>
>
> "Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:u6A6Ni1%23GHA.1172@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>> Should one be learning or experimenting with some other programming
>>> environment? (esp. if VFP wanes). What would it be?
>>
>> My current interest is Linux+Apache+MySQL+PHP+Ajax.
>
>

Peter,
Here is an alternative, that Oracle offers.. Take a look at Oracle
Application Express running in an Oracle 10g database. There is also the
free version of Oracle 10g (Oracle 10g XE, that has App Express as its
default development platform). The tool lets you build web based
applications in the database!! No specialized server needed and it scales
with the database! Did I also mention that App Express is FREE!! Buy the
database ( or use 10g XE with the 4 gig data storage limit for smaller web
applications)..

Want me info, just ask..

Tony Miller
Monroe, WA

William
Tue Oct 31 01:49:01 CST 2006



"Krister" wrote:

> "Peter Rooney" <magnetix@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
> news:cug1h.1244$LI4.949@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> > That (Linux+Apache+MySQL+PHP+Ajax) doesnt seem as integrated a solution as
> > VFP. I'm asking is there an single environment or shell that is as
> > convenient as the Command Window?
> >
> >
> > "Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:u6A6Ni1%23GHA.1172@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> >>> Should one be learning or experimenting with some other programming
> >>> environment? (esp. if VFP wanes). What would it be?
> >>
> >> My current interest is Linux+Apache+MySQL+PHP+Ajax.
> >
> >
>
> Nothing compares to the the command window in Foxpro. You can do amazing
> things with it, and it's your toolbox during development. Typically you can
> use it to create and maintain databases, tables and indexes, test syntax,
> test run code snippets (even iterations are allowed in direct mode).
>
> Other pro's are:
> - powerful programming language (nothing is lacking!)
> - data centric commands and functions
> - object orientation and xBase combined
> - very fast database engine for desktop applications ("Nothing runs like
> the Fox")
> - good C/S possibilities with built-in or external databasess
> - easy to make stand-alone applications and COM servers
Plus:
- Excellent in terminal service environment for both local and remote
network with almost zero administration. Based on multi-core, server level
CPU (say Intel Xeon), you can add many concurrent users with excellent
performance.

> A couple of features that you will have problems to find anywere:
> - very powerful macro substitution
> - ability to compile and run code in runtime (function execscript)
Plus:
- cursor supported by SQL and Xbase commands for further processing after
retrieve data from the database
- put readonly database in EXE files
- join 2 tables in 2 different database (e.g., one table in EXE file and
another one in the external database)


>
> (Did I miss something important?)
>
> BTW - why are you looking for something else - what do you miss in VFP?
>
>
>

Villi
Tue Oct 31 07:36:30 CST 2006

sim wrote:

> I use (Apache+VFP+AFPages) for my web application.
>
> See this: http://www.mybssolutions.com
>
> Well, it works for both MySQL and Dbf/cdx.
>
> Still stay with VFP command windows. But coding in Notepad only.

Try Textpad from Helios Software (disclaimer: I'm not in any way associated
with Helios, I'm just a customer): it's the best text editor for programming
I have ever encountered: block editing (select columns instead of lines),
one-button macro recording and executing, advanced macro handling,
intelligent cursor movement between lines of code, quick and reversible
search / replace / bookmark / younameit functions, sintax coloring quickly
customizable to suit Foxpro (and there should be a Foxpro.syn file on theyr
website, IIRC)...
7 years using it and still have to whine *once* about it ;)
--
Villi Bernaroli
Studio K s.r.l.

jussij
Tue Oct 31 18:00:02 CST 2006

sim wrote:

> Still stay with VFP command windows. But coding in Notepad only.

Or use a programmer's editor with a bit more power, something
like Zeus for Windows for example:

http://www.zeusedit.com/features.html

Zeus has features like syntax highlighting, code folding,
class browsing, intergrated version control, smart indenting,
project/workspace management etc etc.

Jussi Jumppanen
Author: Zeus for Windows