CONVERTING FROM FOXPRO/DOS, FOXPRO/WINDOW$ TO VISUAL FOXPRO

0. set cpdialog off

   to avoid seeing the codepage selection screen during
   re-indexing. the proper way is to run CPZERO.PRG on
   those old DBFs.

   After a free table has been marked with a codepage (eg. 437).
   Is there a way to change to another codepage of the table ? Any idea?

   You can user CPZERO.PRG  to do this.
   The next time you open the table, FoxPro will ask for correct codepage.

1. convert
   "clear read"
   to
   "thisform.release"

2. move the code in
      thisformset.readwhen()
   to
      thisform.init()
   remove the formset afterwards.
   set thisform.windowstate to "modal".
   avoid using the thisform.refresh() which may
   slow down the form.

3. cut the objects out of the pageframe.page1
   delete page1.
   delete the pageframe.
   paste it back to the form.

4. reset all color-related properties to defaults
   use 3d styles

5. convert "=&w_title" to "=w_title" for window names

6. select "alias" as listbox.Rowsourcetype
   convert "&m_fields" into "eval(m_fields)"
   set Listbox.Columncount to 1

7. Edit the command button group
   select control button_cacel
   set its button_cancel.Cancel=.t.
   set button_cancel.Terminate read to .f.

8. convert "show gets disable" into
   thisform.setall("tabstop", .f., "baseclass")

9. replace "show get ... disable" with
   thisform.control.tabstop=.f.

10. when you use "browse ... windows ... ",
    you must use
    "browse ... in windows ...

11. replace
        "show get m.xx"
    with
        thisform.Controlxx.refresh()

    sometimes, you may also need:

        thisform.txtxx.requery()

    if it's not within a form, use

        _screen.activeform.control.refresh()

12. replace
    "_curobj=objnum(m.xx)"
    with
    button.click():
    "thisform.txtxx.setfocus()"
    or should it be gotfocus()?

    130525 PRB: SetFocus Doesn't Work When Called in the Valid Event
    http://support.microsoft.com/?id=130525

13. delete the numeric digits appended to the
    object names for each control. do not make the
    object-name the same as control-source name to
    avoid confusion.

14. convert {31/12/2000}-DATE to ctod("31/12/2000")-DATE
    or it you mind,
    SET STRICTDATE TO 0
    to allow co-existence with Foxpro 2.6 programs


15. to produce a setup.exe,

    1. create a directory in c:\system gthat contains only *.exe and *.app
    2. run setup wizard
    2.1. built the distribution package from c:\system
    2.2. Choose "netsetup"
    2.3. in step 6, check field "PM" in the item list. %s is
         the macro for program location during installation.

    pkzip and distribute the gigantic 7M directory instead.

    useful links:

    INFO: Visual FoxPro 6.0 Required Run-Time Files
    http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q190/8/69.asp

16. to add icons to the compiled exe, you need to create a
    multi-resolution icons (for win9x). Not many tools allow that.
    you may try Michelangelo or IconForge. A good link is:

    http://www.cursorarts.com

    Note that win98 cached the icons of each shortcut. You may
    need to delete %WINDIR%\SHELLICONCACHE to force-refresh
    all icons of shortcuts.

17. To highlight the current cell in a grid,
    read Micro$oft KB# Q129280 (related KB# Q132549)

    function grid1.init()
    local nColumnCount, objref

     nColumncount=this.columncount
     * The color of the current control is changed to red
     * for every column in the grid.
     FOR I=1 to nColumnCount
       * Objref  returns a reference to the current control
       objref=EVAL('this.columns(i).'+this.column1.currentcontrol)
       * Modifies the backcolor property of the control. Any property of
       * the control can be manipulated this way.
       objref.BackColor=RGB(128,255,128)
       objref.SelectedBackcolor=RGB(128,255,128)
       objref.SelectedForecolor=RGB(0,0,0)
     ENDFOR
    return

    To highlight even-number of rows
    grid.afterrowcolchange():
    if mod(grid.activerow,2)=0
      this.dynamicbackcolor=rgb(0,0,255)
    else
      this.dynamicbackcolor=rgb(255,0.0)
    endif

18. To trap the keys in a grid, set form.keypreview=.t.,
    then add the following logic to form.keypress()

        if nKeycode=9
          if upper(thisform.activecontrol.name)="GRID"
            keyboard "{ctrl+tab}"
            nodefault   && to not to process the current keystroke
          endif
        endif

    You can also use this method to trap the ESC key in forms
    when using the button's Cancel property (which couldn't
    achieve the same effect as in Foxpro for DOS)

19. varread() could be replaced by upper(thisform.activecontrol.name)

26. The old context-sensitve help trick:

        on key label F1 do pick with program(), varread()

    would have problem working in VFP. Opening a form on top of
    another form will trigger the lostfocus() event of the textbox.
    If you have valid() logic, that would be quite problematic