FoxPro is very powerful Database Management System. Its integrate development Environment allows programmer's language. It is both an interpreter and true compiler. As interpreted language, it translates each command into computer instructions, as it is executes the translation time, most possibly during loops.
A compiler improves performance by translating command to machine instructions just once. It replaces commands such as PRINT or LIST with blocks of machine code. This compiled programs run faster than interpreted codes.
FoxPro supports arithmetic functions such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. It also provides many special mathematical and financial functions.
The main screen combines a menu bar across the top line with a command prompt environment based on the command window. FoxPro opens the command window at the beginning of each session. Commands entered into it execute immediately.
Version Timeline
All versions listed are for Windows.
| Version | Release Date |
|---|---|
| Visual FoxPro 3.0 | June 1995 |
| Visual FoxPro 5.0 | October 1996 |
| Visual FoxPro 5.0a | October 1997 |
| Visual FoxPro 6.0 | 18 May 1998 |
| Visual FoxPro 7.0 | 27 June 2001 |
| Visual FoxPro 8.0 | 1 February 2003 |
| Visual FoxPro 8.0 Service Pack 1 | 7 October 2003 |
| Visual FoxPro 9 | 20 December 2004 |
| Visual FoxPro 9 Service Pack 1 | 8 December 2005 |
| Visual FoxPro 9 Service Pack 2 | 16 October 2007 |
Features
Visual FoxPro 9.0 is a great tool for building database solutions of all sizes. Its data-centric, object-oriented language offers developers a robust set of tools for building database applications for the desktop, client-server environments, or the Web. Developers will have the necessary tools to manage data—from organizing tables of information, running queries, and creating an integrated relational database management system (DBMS) to programming a fully-developed data management application for end users.
- Data-Handling and Interoperability. Create .NET compatible solutions with hierarchical XML and XML Web services. Exchange data with SQL Server through enhanced SQL language capabilities and newly supported data types.
- Extensible Developer Productivity Tools. Enhance your user interfaces with dockable user forms, auto-anchoring of controls, and improved image support. Personalize the Properties Window with your favorite properties, custom editors, fonts, and color settings.
- Flexibility to Build All Types of Database Solutions. Build and deploy stand-alone and remote applications for Windows based Tablet PCs. Create and access COM components and XML Web Services compatible with Microsoft .NET technology.
- Reporting System Features. Extensible new output architecture provides precision control of report data output and formatting. Design with multiple detail banding, text rotation, and report chaining. Output reports supported include in XML, HTML, image formats, and customizable multi-page print preview window. Backward compatible with existing Visual FoxPro reports.
Requirement of Hardware and Software
Visual FoxPro has the following minimum system requirements:
- Computer: PC with a Pentium class processor.
- Peripherals: Mouse or pointing device
- Memory: 64 MB RAM (128 MB or higher recommended)
- Hard disk space:
- Visual FoxPro Prerequisites: 20 MB
- Visual FoxPro Typical Install: 165 MB
- Visual FoxPro Maximum Install: 165 MB
- Video: 800 x 600 resolution, 256 colors (High color 16-bit recommended)
- Operating system: Developing applications with Visual FoxPro is supported only on Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 or later, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. You can create and distribute run-time applications for Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 or later, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003.