NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #18/NN_1992_18.iso/spool/comp/database/6231

Text File | 1992-08-20 | 7.3 KB | 166 lines

Newsgroups: comp.databases
Path: sparky!uunet!centerline!noc.near.net!news.cs.brandeis.edu!chaos.cs.brandeis.edu!rahul
From: [e-mail] (Rahul Chawla)
Subject: (Summary) FoxPro 2.0??
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Sender: [e-mail] (USENET News System)
Organization: American Technology Partners, Inc.
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 00:31:41 GMT
Lines: 155

First, Thanks to you all who took out the time to answer. Appreciate
it !!

This is a summary of responses to my following two questions :
(Note : It's a bit long so N if you don't wanna go thru it.)
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Questions : FOXPRO 2.0 Request for comment on the Lan Version+general
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<1>. Can FoxPro create stand alone executionable files, if so, is the
compiler included with the regular version ?? ( I am interested in the
LAN version.)

<2>. Any comments on the LAN version of Foxpro.
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Replies :

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From [e-mail] Wed Aug 19 21:58 EDT 1992
<1>.
    To create standalone executables you need to purchase the optional
    distribution kit.  If you have the LAN version it will generate
    LAN executables.  If not it will generate single user executables.

<2>.
    I have the LAN version haven't tried to use it yet.  A brief perusal
    of the manual indicates that it takes a primitive record locking
    approach.  You have to explicitly lock everything you need locked.
    No concept of a transaction with the dbms worrying about the hard
    part of the problem for you.  (Like Oracle or Sybase or the other high
    end SQL databases.)  Haven't looked closely enough to see
    if it can handle the really difficult problems where you have to lock
    multiple records in multiple files.  If it's possible it won't be easy.
    Looks like it should handle the mundane problems with locking a single
    record in a single file without any trouble

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From [e-mail] Thu Aug 20 15:14 EDT 1992

If you buy the separate distribution kit (~$500 US), you can make standalone
.EXE files.  You can do this in two ways
  1) Compile the application as COMPACT Executable and distribute two
     runtime files (FOXPRO.ESO and FOXPRO.ESL, which take up about 1.2 Meg)
  OR 2) Compile as standalone executable.  The .EXE will be more than a Meg,
     even if you only compile the program  ? "Hello World"

Other than the size of the program that is produced, I have had no trouble
with the "compiler".  If your code works in FoxPro developer version, it
will work in the compiled version.
I should also mention that the distribution kit works with either the
single-user or LAN version of FoxPro 2.0.  Depending on which base package
you have, your executable will be single user or LAN (assuming you put in
all the record/file locking code)

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From [e-mail] Thu Aug 20 12:26 EDT 1992

<1>.

FOXPRO can create executables. You must purchase the compiler (distribution
kit) in addition to the dbms. Four types of "executables" can be created.

1. Standalone (HUGE!...a simple "HELLO WORLD" app will turn out a whopping
   1mb executable)
2. Compact (NORMAL-SMALL, however runtime support libraries must be included
   with this flavor, that again push the size upto approx 1mb...the benifit
   of the compact exe is that multiple compact exe's can share the runtime
   libraries.)
3. FXPs. Foxpro specific interpreted stuff.
4. APPs.Foxpro specific interpreted stuff.

Speed seems to be equivalent for all four types.

<2>.

Executable startup is slow due to the size of the executable. I think
in general FOXPRO provides SLUGGISH performance. Also, I hate the
additional stuff that FOX sticks into the executable for you... For instance,
I just contacted a vendor that sold my company a FOXPRO2 based product. The
vendor was surprised to learn that his product had macro capabilities
in it....I guess the point here is that you get a lot of suprises in your
executables.

There is no doubt that FOXPRO2 makes development easy/fast, but I sorta think
that the enduser pays for the programmers time savings...

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From [e-mail] Thu Aug 20 11:13 EDT 1992
<1>.

Yes, but you have to buy a seperate DISTRIBUTION KIT for 500.00.  You can
however create a single .APP file of your entire application and run it
under the development environment.  This works well on a LAN.

<2>.

Yes, it's great.  We have approximately 50 users now running FoxPro on
5 different servers.  We've done tests with some 1.0 Gig databases, and
still receive sub-sec response times on queries of indexed fields.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bill Harris - MIS                [e-mail]
Dr Pepper/The Seven-Up Company            The opinions expressed are my
Dallas, Texas                      own. (emphasis on the period)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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From [e-mail] Thu Aug 20 10:04 EDT 1992

I have been using FoxPro 2.0 Lan since it came out. I was using 1.02 Lan.
I am very pleased with the software and its abilities. There is a run time
version but it is extra. Each program is compiled but lick basic it must have
the operating system (a.k.a. FoxPro program) to run. It is about four times fas
ter then Dbase IV. remember that this is a development system and the learning
curve is very steep for somebody with no database experience, but as a developm
ent package it can't be beat.

Floyd Roberts
WVU Financial Aid
My opinions are my own and I only represent myself.

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From philabs![e-mail] Thu Aug 20 11:14 EDT 1992

<1> & <2>.

Uh oh Rahul, I've been struggling with FoxPro 2 and am thinking about
switching to something else.  I guess it won't be DBase!  Actually, I think
I'm going to use Approach, or at least try it.
Best of Luck,
Rog
PS - BTW, the book I'm using with FoxPro is "Using FoxPro 2", by Slater &
Arnott, pub. by Que.  I'm about half way through this 870 page book and still
can't do anything.  The books that come with FoxPro are not goo for learning.
Ah, maybe I'm just stupid.

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From [e-mail] Thu Aug 20 09:29 EDT 1992
<1> & <2>.

Our corporate office has begun development in Foxpro 2.0.  I am employed at
a regional office and have been asked to learn all I can about Foxpro
(basically so we will have the expertise to block any poorly engineered
corporate projects)  I was just informed of this yesterday, therefore I
would greatly appreciate a copy of any summary you may have the time to
put together regarding you post.   Thanks in advance.
Eric Linden
[e-mail]
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--
--
Rahul Chawla            Internet : [e-mail]
Computer Science Dept.               [e-mail]
Brandeis University.               [e-mail]