Client/Server Application Design

  • Article

Microsoft® Visual FoxPro® provides you with the tools to create powerful client/server applications. A Visual FoxPro client/server application combines the power, speed, graphical user interface and sophisticated querying, reporting, and processing of Visual FoxPro with the seamless multi-user access, massive data storage, built-in security, robust transaction processing, logging, and native server syntax of an ODBC data source or server. The synergy of Visual FoxPro and server strengths provides a powerful client/server solution for your users.

The most important step in building a successful client/server application is creating a good design. This section builds on the multi-user application development information provided in other sections. From that foundation, we define a methodology for developing client/server applications.

In This Section

  • Goals for Client/Server Design
    When you design a client/server application, you are balancing several sets of requirements.
  • Client/Server Design for High Performance
    Building a fast, high-performance client/server application with Microsoft® Visual FoxPro® involves taking advantage of the tremendous speed of the Visual FoxPro engine.
  • Rapid Application Development
    Regardless of the programming method you choose, you must have a good strategy to make developing client/server applications quick and efficient.
  • Application Creation with Accuracy and Data Integrity
    You can combine the power of Microsoft® Visual FoxPro® data validation rules and stored procedures with the data source's data validation rules and stored procedures to build client/server applications that protect data integrity.
  • Creating Client/Server Solutions
    Client/server applications combine the functionality of Microsoft® Visual FoxPro® on your local computer with the storage and security benefits provided by a remote server.
  • Upsizing Visual FoxPro Databases
    Creating local prototypes of your design can reduce development time and costs. When you have a tested local prototype, it is easy and beneficial to upsize your application, so it can take advantage of all the features provided by the remote server.
  • Implementing a Client/Server Application
    You can use SQL pass-through technology to enhance your upsized application. While remote views provide access to server data, SQL pass-through lets you send commands directly to the server using native server syntax, increasing your control and flexibility.
  • Client/Server Performance Optimization
    After upsizing and implementing, you can take additional steps to optimize the performance of your application. Find out what you can do in Microsoft® Visual FoxPro® and on the remote server to optimize your client/server application.