Visual FoxPro 9.0 64 bit: A Powerful Programming Language and DBMS
What is Microsoft Visual Foxpro 9.0 64 bit?
If you are looking for a powerful and versatile programming language and database management system (DBMS) that can handle large datasets, generate reports, and build Windows applications, you might want to consider Microsoft Visual Foxpro 9.0 64 bit.
Microsoft Visual Foxpro 9.0 64 bit
Visual Foxpro is a data-centric object-oriented programming language that allows you to create complex databases with relative ease. It also provides a rich set of tools and features for developing Windows applications and software components that can access data from almost any source.
In this article, we will explore the history and development of Visual Foxpro, how to install and run it on Windows 10, how to create and manage databases with it, how to build Windows applications with it, and how to access data from other sources with it.
History and development of Visual Foxpro
Visual Foxpro has a long and interesting history that dates back to 1984, when it was first developed by Fox Software as FoxBASE, a procedural programming language and DBMS for DOS. It was later renamed as FoxPro in 1986, when it added support for Mac OS and Unix.
In 1992, Fox Software merged with Microsoft, which acquired the rights to develop and distribute FoxPro. Microsoft then added the prefix "Visual" to the name, indicating that it was now part of the Visual Studio suite of applications. Microsoft also introduced object-oriented programming (OOP) features, graphical user interface (GUI) tools, SQL support, ActiveX components, COM objects, XML integration, web services, IntelliSense technology, and many other enhancements.
The latest version of Visual Foxpro is 9.0, which was released in 2004. It has a high speed of work with large databases, supports over forty different file formats, has a flexible reporting system, allows users to create multilevel database structures, supports multiple languages and character sets, and offers many other features and benefits.
However, in 2007, Microsoft announced that it would no longer release new versions or updates for Visual Foxpro, effectively ending its support and development. The last update was Service Pack 2 Rollup Update in 2015, which fixed some security issues related to the mscomctl.ocx control.
How to install and run Visual Foxpro 9.0 64 bit on Windows 10
Although Visual Foxpro is an old software that was designed for earlier versions of Windows, it is still possible to install and run it on Windows 10 with some adjustments.
The first thing you need to do is check your system requirements and compatibility issues. To run Visual Foxpro 9.0 on Windows 10, you need at least:
A processor that supports SSE2 instruction set
512 MB of RAM
165 MB of available hard disk space
A CD-ROM drive (if installing from CD)
A VGA or higher resolution monitor
A mouse or compatible pointing device
You also need to make sure that your Windows 10 is updated to the latest version and has all the necessary drivers installed.
The next thing you need to do is download and install Visual Foxpro 9.0 Service Pack 2 (SP2) from the Microsoft website. This is an essential update that fixes some bugs and improves some features of Visual Foxpro.
After installing SP2 you need to download and install Visual FoxPro 9.0 SP2 Rollup Update from the Microsoft website. This is a security update that fixes some vulnerabilities related to the mscomctl.ocx control.Once you have installed both updates you are ready to run Visual FoxPro on Windows 10. However you may encounter some compatibility issues or errors when trying to launch it normally. To avoid this problem you have two options:Run Visual FoxPro in a virtual machine that emulates an older version of WindowsTo run Visual FoxPro in compatibility mode you need to right-click on the VFP9.exe file (or its shortcut) in your installation folder or desktop select Properties go to the Compatibility tab check the box "Run this program in compatibility mode for:" choose Windows XP SP3 or Windows Vista SP2 from the drop-down menu click Apply then OK.To run Visual FoxPro in a virtual machine (VM) you need to download and install a VM software such as VirtualBox or VMware Workstation Player on your Windows 10 computer. Then you need to create a new VM with an older version of Windows (such as XP or Vista) as the guest operating system. You also need to have an installation CD or ISO file of that version of Windows. Then you need to install Visual FoxPro inside the VM as you would normally do on a real computer.
How to create and manage databases with Visual FoxPro 9.0 64 bit
One of the main functions of Visual FoxPro is to create and manage databases that store data in tables consisting of rows (records) and columns (fields). A table can have one or more indexes that allow faster access to data based on certain criteria.
A database can contain one or more tables that are related by common fields (keys). A database can also have views (virtual tables) stored procedures (predefined queries) triggers (actions that occur when data changes) rules (constraints on data) functions (custom calculations) cursors (temporary tables) classes (templates for objects) forms (user interfaces) reports (formatted outputs) menus (navigation options) projects (collections of files) etc.
To create a database with Visual FoxPro you can use either:
The Database Designer tool that provides a graphical interface for creating tables views stored procedures triggers rules functions and relationships
The CREATE DATABASE command that allows you to create a database file (.dbc) from scratch or from an existing table file (.dbf)
To modify a database with Visual FoxPro you can use either:
The Database Designer tool that provides a graphical interface for editing tables views stored procedures triggers rules functions and relationships
The MODIFY DATABASE command that allows you to open a database file (.dbc) in edit mode
To query a database with Visual FoxPro you can use either:
The Query Designer tool that provides a graphical interface for creating queries using drag-and-drop operations
The SELECT command that allows you to retrieve data from one or more tables based on certain criteria
The SQL EXECUTE command that allows you to execute stored procedures or SQL pass-through commands
To create a query using the Query Designer, you need to open it as described above, then add the tables or views that you want to query from the Data Environment window. You can then drag and drop the fields that you want to include in the query from the Field List window to the Query window. You can also specify the criteria for filtering and sorting the records, as well as the output destination for the query results.
To create a query using the SELECT command, you need to write a SQL statement that specifies the fields, tables, and conditions for the query. You can use the Command window or a program file to enter and execute the SQL statement. You can also use the SQL button in the Query Designer to write and edit the SQL statement.
To create a query using the SQL EXECUTE command, you need to write a SQL statement that calls a stored procedure or a SQL pass-through command. You can use the Command window or a program file to enter and execute the SQL statement. You can also use the SQL button in the Query Designer to write and edit the SQL statement.
Here are some examples of common database operations with Visual Foxpro code:
Operation Code --- --- Create a table with three fields: ID (integer), Name (character), and Salary (numeric) CREATE TABLE Employees (ID I, Name C(20), Salary N(10,2)) Add a record to the table with values: 1, "John Smith", 5000 INSERT INTO Employees VALUES (1, "John Smith", 5000) Update the salary of the record with ID = 1 to 6000 UPDATE Employees SET Salary = 6000 WHERE ID = 1 Delete the record with ID = 1 DELETE FROM Employees WHERE ID = 1 Select all records from the table SELECT * FROM Employees Select only the name and salary fields from the table SELECT Name, Salary FROM Employees Select only the records with salary greater than 4000 SELECT * FROM Employees WHERE Salary > 4000 Select only the records with name starting with "J" SELECT * FROM Employees WHERE Name LIKE "J%" Select only the records with name containing "Smith" SELECT * FROM Employees WHERE Name LIKE "%Smith%" Select only the records with name ending with "h" SELECT * FROM Employees WHERE Name LIKE "%h" Select only the records with name matching a pattern of five letters followed by a space and four digits SELECT * FROM Employees WHERE Name LIKE "[A-Z][A-Z][A-Z][A-Z][A-Z] [0-9][0-9][0-9][0-9]" Select only distinct values of name from the table SELECT DISTINCT Name FROM Employees Select only the first 10 records from the table SELECT TOP 10 * FROM Employees Select only the last 10 records from the table SELECT BOTTOM 10 * FROM Employees Sort the records by name in ascending order SELECT * FROM Employees ORDER BY Name Sort the records by name in descending order SELECT * FROM Employees ORDER BY Name DESC Sort the records by name in ascending order and then by salary in descending order SELECT * FROM Employees ORDER BY Name, Salary DESC Group the records by name and calculate the average salary for each group SELECT Name, AVG(Salary) FROM Employees GROUP BY Name Group the records by name and calculate the average salary for each group, but only include groups with more than one record SELECT Name, AVG(Salary) FROM Employees GROUP BY Name HAVING COUNT(*) > 1 Join two tables (Employees and Departments) by matching the DeptID field and select the name and department fields from both tables SELECT Employees.Name, Departments.Department FROM Employees JOIN Departments ON Employees.DeptID = Departments.DeptID Join two tables (Employees and Departments) by matching the DeptID field and select the name and department fields from both tables, but only include records where the department is "Sales" SELECT Employees.Name, Departments.Department FROM Employees JOIN Departments ON Employees.DeptID = Departments.DeptID WHERE Departments.Department = "Sales" Join two tables (Employees and Departments) by matching the DeptID field and select the name and department fields from both tables, but include all records from Employees even if there is no matching record in Departments SELECT Employees.Name, Departments.Department FROM Employees LEFT JOIN Departments ON Employees.DeptID = Departments.DeptID How to build Windows applications with Visual Foxpro 9.0 64 bit
Another main function of Visual Foxpro is to build Windows applications that can interact with users and databases. You can create standalone applications (.exe files) or dynamic-link libraries (.dll files) that can be used by other applications.
To build a Windows application with Visual Foxpro, you need to use the Project Manager tool that allows you to organize and manage all the files that make up your application. You can add forms, menus, reports, classes, programs, tables, views, queries, labels, images, icons, cursors, fonts, and other files to your project.
The Project Manager also provides a way to compile your project into an executable file or a dynamic-link library file. You can also specify various options for your application, such as the main program file, the icon file, the version information, the configuration file, etc.
To create a simple Windows application with Visual Foxpro, you can follow these steps:
Open the Project Manager by clicking New on the File menu, then clicking Project.
Add a form to your project by clicking New on the File menu, then clicking Form.
Design your form by adding controls (such as text boxes, buttons, labels, etc.) from the Form Controls toolbar. You can also set various properties (such as name, caption, font, color, etc.) for each control in the Properties window.
Add code to your form by double-clicking on a control or an empty area of the form. This will open the Code window where you can write Visual Foxpro code to handle various events (such as click, init, keypress, etc.) for your form or its controls.
Save your form by clicking Save on the File menu or pressing Ctrl+S. Give your form a name (such as MyForm.scx).
Add a program to your project by clicking New on the File menu then clicking Program.Write we have explored the history and development of Visual Foxpro, how to install and run it on Windows 10, how to create and manage databases with it, how to build Windows applications with it, and how to access data from other sources with it. We have seen that Visual Foxpro is a powerful and versatile programming language and database management system that can handle large datasets, generate reports, and build Windows applications. We have also seen that Visual Foxpro can access data from almost any source, not just its own native tables and views.
Visual Foxpro may be an old software that is no longer supported by Microsoft, but it is still a valuable tool for many developers and users who need a fast and flexible way to work with data. If you are one of them, or if you are curious about this language, you can download Visual Foxpro 9.0 64 bit from the Microsoft website and try it for yourself. You can also find many resources and tutorials online to help you learn more about Visual Foxpro and its capabilities.
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FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about Visual Foxpro 9.0 64 bit:
Question Answer --- --- Q: Is Visual Foxpro 9.0 64 bit compatible with Windows 10? A: Yes, Visual Foxpro 9.0 64 bit can run on Windows 10 with some adjustments. You need to install Visual Foxpro 9.0 Service Pack 2 and Rollup Update, and then run Visual Foxpro in compatibility mode or in a virtual machine. Q: Is Visual Foxpro 9.0 64 bit free to download and use? A: Yes, Visual Foxpro 9.0 64 bit is free to download and use for personal or educational purposes. However, if you want to use it for commercial purposes, you need to purchase a license from Microsoft or a reseller. Q: Is Visual Foxpro 9.0 64 bit still supported by Microsoft? A: No, Visual Foxpro 9.0 64 bit is no longer supported by Microsoft since January 2015. This means that there will be no new updates or patches for the software, and no technical support or assistance from Microsoft. Q: Is Visual Foxpro 9.0 64 bit still relevant in today's world? A: Yes, Visual Foxpro 9.0 64 bit is still relevant in today's world for many developers and users who need a powerful and versatile programming language and database management system that can handle large datasets, generate reports, and build Windows applications. It can also access data from almost any source, not just its own native tables and views. Q: Is Visual Foxpro 9.0 64 bit easy to learn and use? A: Yes, Visual Foxpro 9.0 64 bit is easy to learn and use for anyone who has some basic knowledge of programming and databases. It provides a rich set of tools and features for developing and managing data-centric applications, such as the Query Designer, the Data Explorer, the Project Manager, the Form Designer, the Report Designer, etc. It also has a simple and intuitive syntax that is based on the dBase programming language.