FoxPro 2:The Complete Reference

Edward Jones and David Nesbitt

Osborne McGraw-HillBerkeley New York St. Louis San Francisco

Auckland Bogota Hamburg London MadridMexico City Milan Montreal New Delhi Panama City

Paris Sao Paulo Singapore SydneyTokyo Toronto

Contents at a Glance

Part I Using FoxPro 11 Getting Started with FoxPro 32 The FoxPro User Interface 153 Creating and Adding Information to Databases 374 Sorting and Indexing a Database 635 Performing Queries 836 Creating Queries with RQBE 977 Reports 1138 Designing Labels 1379 Macros 149

10 The Relational Powers of FoxPro 15711 Creating Screens 17512 FoxPro Tools and the FoxPro Editor 20713 The Project Manager and FoxPro's Power Tools 233

Part II Programming in FoxPro 24914 The Basics of FoxPro Programming 25115 Using Memory Variables 26516 Process Control in a FoxPro Program 27917 Programming for Data Entry, Editing, and Reporting 29318 Programming with the FoxPro User Interface 31719 Advanced Topics 351

Part III Networking with FoxPro 36920 Using FoxPro on a Network 37121 Network Programming 383

Part IV Reference 39122 Command Reference 39323 Function Reference 64724 FoxPro System Memory Variables 74725 Optimizing FoxPro 763

Part V Appendixes 775A File Types Used by FoxPro 777B System Functions 779C dBASE Commands Not Supported by FoxPro 781D ASCII Codes 783

Contents

IUsing FoxPro

iI

Getting Started with FoxProSystem Requirements

Conventional-MemoryRequirements

Extended and ExpandedMemory

Installing FoxProBefore the InstallationInstallation ProcedureCreating a Batch File for

FoxProStarting FoxPro

FoxPro's Options and FeaturesLanguage EnhancementsMouse SupportRushmore TechnologySQL LanguageRelational Query By Example

The User InterfaceFoxPro's MenusThe Command WindowDialog Boxes

The Application DevelopmentTools

33

4

4445

677888899

101112

13

Project ManagerScreen BuilderMenu Builder

2

The FoxPro User InterfaceUsing the Mouse with FoxPro

Mouse TipsUsing the KeyboardThe FoxPro Menu System

Making Menu SelectionsCanceling a Menu Selection

Summary of Menu OptionsThe System MenuFile MenuEdit MenuDatabase MenuRecord MenuProgram MenuWindow Menu

Working with WindowsOpening a WindowAdjusting the SizeMoving a WindowHiding a WindowChanging WindowsThe Zoom OptionClosing a Window

Dialog BoxesCheck BoxesList Boxes

141414

1515161618191919202123242627293031313232333333343434

PushbuttonsRadio ButtonsPulldown Control

353536

Creating and AddingInformation to Databases 37

What Is a Database? 37Data Types 37

Creating a New Database 38The Database Structure

Dialog Box 40Correcting Mistakes 41Inserting, Moving, and

Deleting Fields 41The Structure Menu 42Saving the Database Structure 42

Adding Information to theDatabase 43

Adding Data to Memo Fields 45Using the Edit Mode 49The Browse Mode 49

The Browse Menu 51Splitting the Browse Window

and Using Edit 53Adjusting Field Sizes and

Positions 53Unlinked Partitions 54Displaying Multiple Databases

in Browse Mode 55Using the LIST and DISPLAY

Commands 55Searching Within a Field 57

Deleting and Recalling Recordsfrom the Database 57

Deleting Records 57Recalling a Deleted Record 59Using the SET DELETED

Command 60Deleting and Recalling

Multiple Records 60Modifying the Structure of a

Database 61Saving the Changes 62

Sorting 64Selecting a Sort Field 65Sorting on Multiple Fields 68Using Ascending and

Descending Sort OrdersTogether 70

Using the FOR Clause to SortSelected Records 71

Using the FOR Clause to SortSelected Fields 72

A Caveat 72Indexing 72

Indexing with the INDEXCommand 73

Indexing with the FoxProMenus 75

Selective Indexing with theFOR Clause 77

Indexing on Multiple Fields 78Indexing on Fields of

Different Types 79Opening Databases with

Index Files 80Using the SET INDEX and

SET ORDER Commands 81Using REINDEX 82Using CLOSE INDEX 82

Performing Queries 83The Anatomy of an Expression 83

Relational Operators 84Logical Operators 85Arithmetical Operators 86String Operators 86Functions 87

Performing Queries 88Locate 88The Continue Option 91The LOCATE FOR Command 91The Seek Option 92The SEEK Command 93The FIND Command 93Using the SET FILTER

Command to Select Subsetsof Data 94

Sorting and Indexing aDatabase 63

Creating Queries withRQBE 97

About Rushmore 97Using the RQBE Window 98

Choosing Databases for Usewith the Query 99

Choosing Fields for the QueryResults 100

Choosing an Order for theQuery Results 100

Grouping the Query Results 100Specifying the Output

Destination 101Sample RQBE Window Queries 101

Examining the SELECTCommand 102

Inserting and RemovingSelection Criteria 104

Using Logical Operators inQueries

The .AND. ConditionThe .OR. ConditionUsing Date Ranges in QueriesSpecifying the Sort Order for

Your ResultsCreating Queries Using

Selected FieldsChanging the Query OutputSaving and Reusing Queries

Reusing Saved Queries

/Reports

The Report Creation ProcessTypes of Reports

Quick ReportsA Sample Quick ReportCustomized Reports

Examining the Report LayoutWindow

Manipulating Objects in theReport Layout Window

The Report Menu OptionsPage LayoutPage PreviewData GroupingTitle/SummaryBoxField

104105106106

106

108109112112

113113113114117117

118

119120120121122124124125

Text 126Add and Remove Line 126Bring to Front and Send to

Back 126Center 127Quick Report 127

The Report Expression DialogBox , 127

Printing and Displaying Reports 130A Sample Custom Report 131

Producing Reports at theCommand Level 133

Commands for Margin Settingsand Manual Ejects 135

8Designing Labels 137

Creating Labels 137The Label Design Screen 138The Expression Builder 140Page Preview 141Saving a Custom Label Layout 142Saving the Label Form 142Printing Labels 142Tips for Printing Labels 145

An Example Label 145Modifying Existing Labels 148

Macros 149Third-Party Macro Facilities 149Assigning Macros to Keys 150Creating a Macro 150The Keyboard Macros Dialog

Box 152A Sample Macro 154Saving Macros 154Tips for Creating and Using

Macros 155Adding to Existing Macros 155

Inserting Literals and AddingPauses in Macros 156

Limitations of Macros 156

10The Relational Powers ofFoxPro 157

Understanding RelationalDatabases

Ways to Relate Databases inFoxPro

Creating the HOURS DatabaseQuerying from Two Databases

A Sample Relational QueryThe View Window

Setting Relations Through theView Window

Relating Files with SETRELATION

A Warning AboutRelationships and Indexes

Using View Files to StoreRelationships

Creating Relational ReportsAnalyzing Types of Relationships

1 i

Creating ScreensDifferences Between Versions of

FoxProThe FoxPro 2 Screen Painter

and Format FilesStarting the FoxPro Screen

PainterThe Screen Menu

Placing FieldsPlacing TextMoving and Deleting ObjectsPlacing BoxesPlacing PushbuttonsPlacing Radio ButtonsPlacing Check BoxesPlacing PopupsPlacing ListsFurther Control of Screen

ObjectsSaving Screens and Generating

Cnr\pbUUC

Using ScreensA Screen Painter ExampleCreating Entry Forms with

Fox ViewCommands Available in

Fox ViewUsing Forms View to Create a

Form

158

158159160162163

165

168

171

171172172

175

175

176

176176178180181181181183184185186

187

1 881OO

189190

191

192

193

Moving FieldsChanging Field LabelsAdding TextSaving Screen Format FilesLeaving Fox ViewUsing a Screen Format FileModifying a Screen FormDrawing BoxesChanging ColorsMore About Table ViewMoving Fields and Objects in

Table ViewA Note About Fox View and

DOS

1 f1Z

FoxPro Tools and theFoxPro Editor

Desk AccessoriesCalculatorCalendar/DiarySpecial CharactersASCII ChartCaptureFiler

The FoxPro EditorCreating a New FileOpening Existing FilesSaving and Closing FilesEntering TextCursor MovementSelecting TextCut, Copy, and PasteFind and ReplacePrinting FilesSetting PreferencesRedefining the Editor with

Macros

t n

13The Project Manager andFoxPro's Power Tools

The Menu BuilderThe Menu Design WindowAssigning Hot KeysResponding to Menu PadsCreating a Submenu

194194195196197197198198199199

204

205

207207207209211213214214220221222222223224224225226227228

230

233234234234235236

Creating Divider Lines inSubmenus

Saving the Completed MenuGenerating Menu Code

The Project ManagerA Note About Stand-Alone

ProgramsCreating a ProjectThe Project Menu OptionsCreating Applications

Building a Sample Project andApplication

236236236237

237238240242

243

IIProgramming in FoxPro

1 41 4

The Basics of FoxProProgramming

A Sample ProgramCreating Programs

Using the FoxPro EditorUsing Another Word

ProcessorCompiling Versus

InterpretingProgramming Concepts

ConstantsMemory VariablesExpressionsOperatorsFunctions

Some Commonly UsedCommands

SET TALKSKIPRETURN?, ??, @, and TEXT

1 K

251251254254

255

255256256257257258260

261261261262262

Creating and Naming MemoryVariables 266

Creating Character Variables 267Creating Numeric Variables 268Creating Date Variables 269Creating Logical Variables 270

Viewing the Contents of MemoryVariables 270

Releasing Variables fromMemory 271

Memory Variable Files 272Hiding and Showing Variables

with PRIVATE and PUBLIC 272Arrays 274Macro Substitution 277

16Process Control in a FoxProProgram 279

Sequential Processing with DO,RETURN, RUN, and CALL 279

Using RUN to Run OtherPrograms 282

LOAD and CALL 283Assembler Guidelines and a

Warning 284FoxPro's Conditionals: IF, ELSE,

and ENDIF 285The Immediate IF() Function 286

Evaluating Multiple Choices withDO CASE 287

Repetitive Processing with DOWHILE...ENDDO andSCAN...ENDSCAN 288

Using Memory Variables 265Types of Memory Variables 266

17Programming for DataEntry, Editing, andReporting 293

ACCEPT, INPUT, and WAIT 293ACCEPT 293INPUT 294WAIT 295

The @...SAY...GET Command 295Using Colors with

@...SAY...GET Commands 297

Using @...CLEAR toSelectively Clear Screens 298

Working with Memo Fields 299Using TEXT...ENDTEXT to

Display Messages 300Data Entry and Editing Under

Program Control 301Adding Data Under Program

Control 301Editing Records Under

Program Control 303Deleting Records Under

Program Control 305Using BROWSE for Data Entry

and Editing 306Producing Reports Under

Program Control 308LIST and DISPLAY 308Using Stored Reports and

Labels in Programs 309Writing Reports with Program

Code 312Sending Escape Codes to the

Printer 315

18Programming with theFoxPro User Interface 317

Building Effective Menus 317Bar Menus 318Popup Menus 319Pulldown Menus 319A Note About User

Friendliness... 319Implementing Popup Menus in

FoxPro 320Popups Using ©...PROMPT

and MENU TO 320Popups Using DEFINE

POPUP and ONSELECTION POPUP 321

Popups Using @...MENU andREAD MENU TO 322

Implementing Bar Menus inFoxPro 323

Bar Menus Using DEFINEMENU, DEFINE PAD, andACTIVATE MENU 323

Bar Menus Using©...PROMPT and MENUTO 325

Implementing Pulldown Menusin FoxPro 325

Implementing Pick Lists 328FoxPro and Windows 330

Defining the Window 331Activating and Using the

Window 332Deactivating the Window 333An Example of the Use of

Windows 334IN WINDOW 334

Drawing Boxes 336Using Colors in FoxPro 336

Color Pairs 337Color Schemes 339Color Sets 341

Remember the Users... 342Implementing Custom Help 345

19Advanced Topics 351

Debugging Applications 351SET ECHO and the Trace

Window 352SET STEP 353Using the Debug Window 354Setting Breakpoints in the

Trace or Debug Windows 354Handling Errors Within the

Application 355Using Low-Level File Functions 358INKEY() and READKEY() 363User-Defined Functions 365

IIINetworking with FoxPro

20Using FoxPro ona Network 371

FoxPro/LAN and CompatibleNetworks 371

About SHARE 372

File Server Installation 372Optimizing the FoxPro/LAN

Installation 373Workstation Installation 373Running FoxPro/LAN 374Exclusive Versus Shared Use 375Database Integrity 375Automatic Versus Manual

Locking 376Network,Commands and

Functions 376SET EXCLUSIVE 377The Locking Functions 378UNLOCK 379SET REPROCESS 379SET LOCK and SET

MULTILOCKS 379DISPLAY STATUS and LIST

STATUS 380SET PRINTER 380

General Network Hints 381

21Network Programming 383

Using the Locking FunctionsWithin Programs 384

When to Open Files Exclusively 385Error Handling for Networks 386Performing Automated Retries 388Testing for Networks 388File Deadlock and How to

Avoid It 389

IVReference

22Command Reference

Symbols and Conventions\ (or) \\? or ?????@@...BOX©...CLEAR TO©...EDIT

393393394394395396397398399

©...FILL TO©...GET to Make Check Boxes©...GET to Make Invisible

Buttons©...GET to Make List Boxes©...GET to Make Popups©...GET to Make Pushbuttons©...GET to Make Radio Buttons©...MENU©...PROMPT©...TOACCEPTACTIVATE MENUACTIVATE POPUPACTIVATE SCREENACTIVATE WINDOWAPPENDAPPEND FROMAPPEND FROM ARRAYAPPEND MEMOAVERAGEBROWSEBUILD APPBUILD PROJECTCALCULATECALLCANCELCHANGECLEARCLEAR ALLCLEAR FIELDSCLEAR GETSCLEAR MACROSCLEAR MEMORYCLEAR MENUSCLEAR POPUPSCLEAR PROGRAMCLEAR PROMPTCLEAR READCLEAR TYPEAHEADCLEAR WINDOWSCLOSECLOSE MEMOCOMPILECONTINUECOPYCOPY FILECOPY INDEXESCOPY MEMOCOPY STRUCTURE 1

400400

402404405407408410410411412413414415416418418419420421422425426426428429430431432432433434434435435436436436437437438438439439441442442443444

COPY STRUCTUREEXTENDED

COPY TAGCOPY TO ARRAYCOUNTCREATECREATE FROMCREATE LABELCREATE MENUCREATE PROJECTCREATE QUERYCREATE REPORTCREATE REPORT FROMCREATE SCREENCREATE VIEW [FROM

ENVIRONMENT]DEACTIVATE MENUDEACTIVATE POPUPDEACTIVATE WINDOWDECLAREDEFINE BARDEFINE BOXDEFINE MENUDEFINE PADDEFINE POPUPDEFINE WINDOWDELETEDELETE FILEDELETE TAGDIMENSIONDIRDISPLAYDISPLAY FILESDISPLAY MEMORYDISPLAY STATUSDISPLAY STRUCTUREDODO CASEDO WHILEEDITEJECTEJECT PAGEENDCASEENDDOENDIFENDPRINTJOBENDSCANENDTEXTERASEEXIT

444446446447447448448449450450451451452

452453454455456457459460461462463466468468469469471472473475475476477478479482482483483484484484485485485

EXPORTEXTERNALFILERFINDFLUSHFORFUNCTIONGATHER FROMGETEXPRGO or GOTOHELPHIDE MENUHIDE POPUPHIDE WINDOWIFIMPORTINDEXINPUTINSERTJOINKEYBOARDLABEL FORMLISTLIST FILESLIST MEMORYLIST STATUSLIST STRUCTURELOADLOCATELOOPMENUMENU TOMODIFY COMMAND/MODIFY

FILEMODIFY LABELMODIFY MEMOMODIFY MENUMODIFY PROJECTMODIFY QUERYMODIFY REPORTMODIFY SCREENMODIFY STRUCTUREMOVE POPUPMOVE WINDOWNOTE or * or &&ON BARON ERRORON ESCAPEON KEYON KEY =

486486487487489490491492493494496497497498499500501504504505507507508509510510510511512513513515

515516517518518519519520520521521522522522524525527

ON KEY LABELON PADON PAGEON READ ERRORON SELECTION BARON SELECTION MENUON SELECTION PADON SELECTION POPUPPACKPARAMETERSPLAY MACROPOP MENUPOP POPUPPRINTJOB/ENDPRINTJOBPRIVATEPROCEDUREPUBLICPUSH MENUPUSH POPUPQUITREADREAD MENURECALLREINDEXRELEASERENAMEREPLACEREPORT FORMRESTORERESTORE MACROSRESTORE SCREENRESTORE WINDOWRESUMERETRYRETURNRUNSAVESAVE MACROSSAVE SCREENSAVE WINDOWSCANSCATTER TOSCROLLSEEKSELECTSELECT - SQLSETSET ALTERNATESET ANSISET AUTOSAVE

528529531531532533533534535536537538538538539540542544544544545547548550551551552554555556556557558558559560561561562562563564565566566567567568569569

SET BELLSET BELL TOSET BLINKSET BLOCKSIZESET BORDERSET CARRYSET CENTURYSET CLEARSET CLOCKSET CLOCK TOSET COLOR OFSET COLOR OF SCHEMESET COLOR OF SCHEME TOSET COLOR ON/OFFSET COLOR SET TOSET COLOR TOSET COMPATIBLESET CONFIRMSET CONSOLESET CURRENCYSET CURRENCY LEFT/RIGHTSET DATESET DECIMALSSET DEFAULTSET DELETEDSET DELIMITERSET DEVELOPMENTSET DEVICESET DISPLAY TOSET DOHISTORYSET ECHOSET ESCAPESET EXACTSET FIELDSSET FIELDS TOSET FILTERSET FIXEDSET FORMATSET FULLPATHSET FUNCTIONSET HEADINGSET HELPSET HELPFILTERSET HOURSSET INDEXSET INTENSITYSET LIBRARYSETLOGERRORSSET MARGINSET MARK

569570570571571572573574574575575577578579579580581581582583583583585586586588588589590591591592592593593594595596597597598599599600600602602603603604

SET MARK OF 605SET MEMOWIDTH 605SET MESSAGE 607SET MOUSE 607SET NEAR 608SET ODOMETER 609SET OPTIMIZE 609SET ORDER 609SET PATH 611SET POINT 612SET PRINT 612SET PRINTER TO 613SET PROCEDURE 613SET RELATION 616SET RELATION OFF 618SET RESOURCE 618SET RESOURCE TO 618SET SAFETY 619SET SEPARATOR 619SET SHADOWS 619SET SKIP 620SET SPACE 620SET STATUS 621SET STEP 621SET STICKY 621SET SYSMENU 622SET TALK 622SET TEXTMERGE 622SET TEXTMERGE

DELIMITERS 623SET TOPIC 623SET TYPEAHEAD 623SET UDFPARMS 624SET UNIQUE 624SET VIEW 626SET VIEW TO 626SET WINDOW OF MEMO 627SHOW GET 628SHOW GETS 629SHOW MENU 629SHOW OBJECT 629SHOW POPUP 630SHOW WINDOW 630SIZE POPUP 631SKIP 631SORT 632STORE 634SUM 636SUSPEND 637TEXT 637

TOTALTYPEUPDATEUSEWAITZAPZOOM WINDOW

638640640642643644645

23Function Reference

Reference Symbols andConventions

ABSACOPYACOSADELADIRAELEMENTAFIELDSAINSALENALIASALLTRIMASCASCANASINASORTASUBSCRIPTATATANATCATCLINEATLINEATN2BARBETWEENBOFCAPSLOCKCDOWCDXCEILINGCHRCHRSAWCHRTRANCMONTHCNTBARCNTPADCOLCOSCTOD

647

647648648649649650650650651651652652653653654654655655656656657657658658659659660660661661662662663663663664664664665

CURDIRDATEDAYDBFDELETEDDIFFERENCEDISKSPACEDMYDOWDTOCDTORDTOSEMPTYEOFERROREVALUATEEXPFCLOSEFCOUNTFCREATEFEOFFERRORFFLUSHFGETSFIELDFILEFILTERFKLABELFKMAXFLOORFOPENFOUNDFPUTSFREADFSEEKFSIZEFULLPATHFVFWRITEGETBARGETENVGETFILEGETPADGOMONTHHEADERIIFINKEYINLISTINSMODEINT

666666667667668668669670670671672672673673674674674675675676677677678678679679680680680681681682683683683684684685685686686687687687688688688689689690

ISALPHAISCOLORISDIGITISLOWERISUPPERKEYLASTKEYLEFTLENLIKELINENOLOCFILELOGLOG10LOWERLTRIMLUPDATEMAXMCOL()MDOWN()MDX()MDYMEMLINESMEMORYMENUMESSAGEMINMLINEMODMONTHMRKBARMRKPADMROW()NDX()NUMLOCKOBJNUMOCCURSORDEROSPADPADC, PADL, PADRPARAMETERSPAYMENTPCOLPIPOPUPPRINTSTATUSPRMBARPRMPADPROGRAM

690691691692692693693694694695695695696696697697698699699700700701701702702703703704705705706706706707708708708709709710710711711712712713713713714714

PROMPTPROPERPROWPUTFILEPVRANDRATRATLINERDLEVELREADKEYRECCOUNTRECNORECSIZERELATIONREPLICATERIGHTROUNDROWRTODRTRIMSCHEMESCOLSSECONDSSEEKSELECTSETSIGNSINSOUNDEXSPACESQRTSROWSSTRSTRTRANSTUFFSUBSTRSYSTAGTANTARGETTIMETRANSFORMTRIMTYPEUPDATEDUPPERUSEDVALVARREAD

714715715715716716717718718718719719720721721722723723724724725725725726726726727728728729729730730731731732733733734734735735736737737738739739740

VERSIONWCHILDWCOLSWEXISTWLCOLWLROWWONTOPWOUTPUTWPARENTWROWSWVISIBLEYEAR

tA.

FoxPro System MemoryVariables

_ALIGNMENT_BOX_CALCMEM_CALCVALUE_CLIPTEXT_CUROBJ_DBCLICK_DIARYDATE_ INDENT_LMARGIN_MLINE_PADVANCE_PAGENO_PBPAGE_PCOLNO_PCOPIES_PDRIVER_PECODE_PEJECT_PEPAGE_PFORM_PLENGTH_PLINENO_PLOFFSET_PPITCH_PQUALITY.PRETEXT_PSCODE_PSPACING_PWAIT_RMARGIN

TABS

741741742742743743744744744745745746

747749749750750750751751751752752752753753753754754754755755755756756756757757757758758758759759759

_ TALLY 760_TEXT 760_WRAP 760Using System Memory Variables

and Other Parameters 761

25Optimizing FoxPro 763

Modifying the CONFIG. FP File 763Valid Options for CONFIG.FP 764Using SET Commands in

Applications 767FoxPro's Printer Drivers 768

Choosing a Printer Driver 768Changing or Deleting an

Existing Printer Setup 769Specifying the Default Printer

Driver Setup 769Loading a Printer Driver Setup 770FoxPro and Memory 770

Types of PC Memory 770A Note About Conventional

RAM 771A Note for Users of Microsoft

Windows 771

Modifying the FoxPro ResourceFile 772

Finally, a Note About Hardware 773

VAppendixes

File Types Used byFoxPro 777

BSystem Functions 779

dBASE Commands NotSupported by FoxPro 781

DASCII Codes 783