Hi there. I have 0 knowledge of FoxPro/Visual Fox Pro, and I'm trying to understand how this FP application works.
There's a bunch of CFX, DBF, FPT, DLL, and EXE files. And the application is launched by running a .EXE.
When creating/publishing a FoxPro application - does it create an exe and collate all the needed DLLs? What is the file extension of the source files?
Or is the use of third party tools needed to accomplish this?
Thanks!
You need Microsoft foxpro or an earlier version. From the file types I think you do not have the source which are .prg file. Foxpro file types
First, I don't recognize a .CFX extension under foxpro, and that goes back to 1987 to the days of FoxBase+. By Googling it, it appears to be either some media format, Casio Algebra FX, Cold Fusion, or some other.
However, when Foxpro is compiled, it does compile into an EXE. The other DLLs may just be other 3rd party library utilities unless they are the run-time libraries for VFP such as VFP9R.dll, VFP9t.dll, VFP9RENU.dll (or VFP8 or VFP7 or similar).
The .DBF and .FPT are the database files and corresponding "memo" file content. Memo fields are typically free-form notes that can be associated with records when unknown or unlimited lenghts are expected.
As for the source code, there should be some project file, and possibly class, forms, and prgs including files with extensions of
.PRG -- programs .SCX / .SCT -- forms .VCX / .VCT -- visual class libraries .PJX / .PJT -- main project file .MNX / .MNT -- menus.
There is also a DE-compiler out there called Re-Fox, and I think the latest is Re-Fox 10 which will do a full decompile of an exe into its respective forms, classes and prgs and such... Good luck
The easiest way to build an executable, you need project file. The project file extension is .pjx. You create the project file CREATE PROJECT TEMP. Drag your files onto it and Fox will place it in the correct tab based on its extension. Then you can click the BUILD button and resolve any dependencies.
To deploy a fox app, there are a minimum number of support files that have to be present on the customer's machine. If you read the FOX help F1, you can get a list of these files. Read it carefully and try it on a clean machine that has never had Foxpro on it. Then you will know if you caught all the files. I do not have it in front of me at this moment..