FoxProv vs. Access

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tom Green
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Tom Green

A potential client of mine has spent many years working with FoxPro. How
does it compare to Access? It's the bastard stepchild of a real
database/user interface development environment, right? Appears it has a
special language that's not VB and only recently got integrated error
handling in code. Is FoxPro a total has been or am I imagining things?

I always thought FoxPro was on the way out. Is it?

Thanks!
 
FoxPro was bought out by Microsoft a few years ago, and we
were wondering which would get the focus of MS's
attention, FoxPro or Access. FoxPro was shipped with
Visual Studio 6.0, but not .Net. It is still available
via stand alone or MSDN subscription.

From the FoxPro FAQ:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/vfoxpro/productinfo/faq/default.a
spx

Q. What is Microsoft's commitment to developers who use
Visual FoxPro?

A. Microsoft is committed to improving Visual FoxPro and
serving the needs of FoxPro developers worldwide. Visual
FoxPro 8.0 directly addresses the most popular customer
requests and support enhancements.

Q. How do you position Visual FoxPro in relation to
Microsoft Access?

A. Microsoft Access, the database in Office, is the most
broadly used and easiest-to-learn database tool that
Microsoft offers. If you are new to databases, if you are
building applications that take advantage of Microsoft
Office, or if you want an interactive product with plenty
of convenience, then choose Microsoft Access. Visual
FoxPro is a powerful rapid application development (RAD)
tool for creating relational database applications. If you
are a database developer who builds applications for a
living and you want ultimate speed and power, then choose
Visual FoxPro.

Q. How long will Visual FoxPro be supported by Microsoft?

A. The latest version of Visual FoxPro is 8.0. Microsoft
is currently working on the next version of Visual FoxPro.
Visual FoxPro 8.0 is supported by Microsoft until 2010 in
the developer tools lifecycle support plan.



So, your guess is as good as mine.


Chris
 
I'd say the FoxPro FAQ is biased toward selling FoxPro, wouldn't you? FoxPro
was slated for retirement several years ago, but a lot of noise from
developers kept it alive.

Both are professional development tools, but Access has the advantage of
being able to use VBA which allows it to work with other Office apps through
automation. It also has an advantage in the learning curve area, being far
easier for non-developers to get something done. That said, if the client is
comfortable with FoxPro, and the developer is capable of working in either,
I'd use the FoxPro database system. The quality of a system is not dependent
on the tool used, as much as the skills of the developer.
--
Arvin Meyer, MCP, MVP
Microsoft Access
Free Downloads
http://www.datastrat.com
http://www.mvps.org/access
 
See, I started saying that FoxPro was getting phased out,
but when I looked at it, I couldn't justify saying that.
It was more like it was being hobbled along.

The only advantage FoxPro has over Access is the ability
to make an executable. AFAIK, it is COM compliant, so it
can use Automation to control Excel.

It still appears that Access is the future of the MS
Desktop database platform. But it the customer wants it
done that way, then FoxPro it is. (Except I've never used
it.)

Remember, FoxPro was purchased to put the Rushmore
technology into JET (and Access).


Chris
 
Thank you both. FoxPro is not a requirement in this case, and I'd rather not
use it. I do do do like the ability to create an executable and have
sometimes started migrating Access DBs to full VB installable applications
around an Access engine, but each time I conclude it is better for the
client and budget to just leave everything in Access. Access really offers
so many fine features, people don't understand the power in my opinion.

The FoxPro system I encountered is huge, the client managed to spend
millions of dollars over a period of years. I can't fathom how so have
figured FoxPro must be inferior to Access.

Thanks again.
 
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