FoxWeb uses a different paradigm than regular VFP programs. Because of the nature of the World-Wide-Web, there is no way you could take an existing FoxPro application and just get it to run over the web. Web browsers receive information in a language called HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) and send information back to servers using HTML forms. In order for FoxPro to communicate with web browsers it must be able to read the input of HTML forms, and format its output as HTML text. For this reason, the input and output routines of existing applications will have to be re-written. Other procedures handling the logic of the application, (e.g. queries, data-updates, etc.) can remain as is.
Regarding reports, it is possible for you to use existing VFP reports, by sending their output to the Adobe Acrobat printer driver, which creates PDF files. These files can be downloaded by users and viewed/printed with the PDF viewer, which is a free download. Although this technique works well with complicated report formats, most developers choose to simply output their reports as HTML code. Even though HTML provides less typographic control, it is more common and in some ways easier to work with.
FoxWeb scripts are written in native VFP code, so they are 100% compatible with virtually all VFP functionality, including stored procedures and referential integrity. You do not need to do anything special to take advantage of these features.
FoxWeb Support Team
support@foxweb.com email |
Sent by john hays on 12/03/2002 09:11:44 PM:
Just downloaded foxWeb to try it out as an approach to giving access to an exsiting apps data over my companies intranet and have a couple basic questions. here go:
What is the best approach to printing VFP reports using FoxWeb? If my users have the runtime VFP files installed on their client computers, could I somehow download the report and data using FoxWeb and allow them to print locally? I have reports that print out hundreds of contracts from one cursor and don't know what is best method of accomplishing that.
Can FoxWeb use SPs and will RI be used when updating data with FoxWeb?
As I start working more with FoxWeb, and I plan on it, I'm sure I'll have more questions, but these were the first that came to mind with this specific project that I've been given. thanks for any information you can provide.
john hays
john_hays@rmetro.com