Working with Data

To create effective applications, you must analyze your data requirements and then design your databases, tables, and indexes to meet these needs.

In This Section

  • Developing Databases
    Describes how to use databases in Visual FoxPro to establish relationships between tables, enforce referential integrity, and manage local and remote data.
  • Working with Tables
    Discusses how to make sure your tables have the structure that your application requires. Data type and index choices are essential to the success of your application.
  • Working with Records
    Explains how to store data in the table by adding new records and that you can change and delete existing records through the interface or by using commands.
  • Working with Queries
    Describes how to use queries to select and display data from tables or views.
  • Working with Views
    Explains how to use views to create a customized updateable data set for your application.
  • Creating Reports and Labels
    Discusses how to add reports or labels to your application to present data to users.
  • Importing and Exporting Data
    Explains how information is copied between Visual FoxPro and other applications by importing to and exporting from Visual FoxPro.
  • Database Container Events
    Discusses how you can enable DBC events and add code to specific events on data contained in a database.
  • Programming for Shared Access
    Explains how programming for shared access makes it possible for you to create an application that will run on several machines in a network environment.
  • Visual FoxPro Data Access Using the OLE DB Provider
    Describes the Visual FoxPro OLE DB Provider and how to access Visual FoxPro data from other languages and applications.

Developing Visual FoxPro Applications

Includes conceptual information about how to develop Visual FoxPro applications, instructions for creating databases and the user interface, and other tasks needed to create Visual FoxPro applications.

Application Planning

Stresses that careful planning saves time, effort, and money and that many of the decisions you make during the planning phase will impact how you create elements of the application.

Creating the Application

Discusses how to create a Visual FoxPro application, which may include one or more databases, a main program that sets up the application's system environment, and a user interface comprised of forms, toolbars, and menus.

Creating Web Services and Components

Explains how you can extend your Visual FoxPro application by making it possible for it to work for multiple users, take advantage of Microsoft ActiveX controls and automation-enabled applications.

Enhancing Applications using SQL Pass-through Technology

Describes how you can use SQL pass-through (SPT) technology to create objects on the server, run server stored procedures, and execute commands using native server syntax.

Working with Projects

Defines a project configuration and a group of files that produce a program or final binary file or files.

Creating Help

Describes how you can include Help files in your application to provide valuable information for users of your application.

Compiling an Application

Explains how to use the modular approach to verify the functionality of each component you create and then compile them into an application, which assembles the executable components of your project.

Testing and Debugging Applications

Describes the debugging tools provided by Visual FoxPro to help you find and correct any errors you discover in your applications.

Distributing Applications

Discusses how to prepare to distribute your application by including all required files and creating distribution disks after you have completed developing and testing your application.