Let me do my best to answer your questions from below. Remember, Xojo isn't Foxpro and Foxpro isn't Xojo. They're cousin products from different mothers and fathers. :D
1) Yes, available. These can be either classes or modules. You can link in external classes called "Plugins" and you can link to external libraries through includes. (I think that's what they're called. I haven't had to do this yet.)
2) Yes, possible but Xojo isn't quite as strong as VFP on data manipulation. Xojo's native data handler is SQLite. You can create an in-memory database and have query capabilities that way. It's not as "magical" as VFP cursors, but it's possible. When you are done with the in-memory database, it just "goes away". Sound familiar?
3) Yes. Especially with the licensed product (as opposed to the Free version of Xojo), you get a source-code control friendly text format of all projects, windows, classes, modules, etc. The Xojo project is typically housed within a single folder structure unless you explicitly include "something", and then make it external to the project. This project style makes it very easy to copy the folder, open it in Xojo and then start making changes to the copy.
4) The SQLite engine is very close to the VFP table speeds, and would be called their native data capabilities. The transport "mechanism" for data is the RecordSet however. It's not as nice as the VFP data handling capabilities, but it is what it is. RecordSets are very fast, but not as flexible as VFP cursors.
5) Yup. From a single project, (if you have the Pro license as an example), you can compile your desktop application to Windows, Mac, and Linux in a single step. Each compiled application will be put in a corresponding folder for the target platform. The licensing is just like VFP: you can distribute your application to as many sites, for as many customers as you like with no extra expense and without Xojo knowing anything about your customers. (I'm looking at you Servoy and Lianja!)
6) I'm not quite sure what you mean by this point, but see #5 above.
7) Yes, ODBC is one of the native data handlers that is standard with Xojo. MySQL, PostgreSQL, MSSQL, and Oracle are the others. Of course with ODBC you can get to most databases. Note that I was never able to get the VFP ODBC driver on Linux because Microsoft only provides an MSI installer which doesn't play well with Linux. That was a major bummer for me, being a Linux fan and all.
8) There's a real debugger with Xojo! Again, it might not be as nice as VFP's debugger, but it does something that VFP can't: remote debugging. http://cully.biz/2014/06/27/xojos-not-so-secret-weapon/
Hope this helps.
-Kevin
On 10/05/2017 01:53 PM, Paul H. Tarver wrote:
Kevin,
Those are pretty impressive! I appreciate the detailed examples, it helps.
I should probably clarify my interest somewhat. I have three applications for vertical markets I created in VFP and they will probably continue as they are for the foreseeable future. However, the main programming I do is building tools for clients to move data in and out of third party service provider systems. Because each client is different and has unique data characteristics but the third party specifications are relatively static, we end up creating custom versions of the same "types" of applications over and over again and then provide the finished product to the clients in a nice installation package. We then maintain each client's project as a unique development line from that point forward. Next client comes along, we find the most recent development that is similar and copy that as our starting point for the new client.
So given that background I'm wondering if Xojo can provide the following features to critical me:
- Need ability to link or call objects/functions/procedures from a Global Library of functions
- Ability to create temporary cursors on the fly for importing and processing (probably a function of the data backend)
- Ability to copy a project to new folder to create a new development line without changing source project
- Ability to import and export data at VFP speeds (Xojo doesn't have native data capabilities, right?)
- Ability to compile to a runtime file and support files for desktop distribution
- Prefer relative file and folder management (ie: search paths, etc.)
- ODBC connectivity with the ability to make DSN-less connections on the fly.
- A real time debugger similar to VFP's
That's a pretty good starting point for what I need. I looked at an older version of Xojo (RealBasic?) back years ago and I downloaded the program when they first changed the name but that's about as far as I got other than some basic playing around with the IDE. So far, I've been reviewing alternative languages for about 3 years and I cannot either find one that is as agile as VFP. Maybe it's just a case of not finding one that works like I think, but ultimately in all the languages I have looked at so far, there comes a point where I throw my hands up and give up because I can do what I need to in VFP so much faster and easier.
Xojo keeps popping up on my radar and I keep wondering if I should give it another run through and see where it takes me.
Paul H. Tarver Email: paul@tpcqpc.com
-----Original Message----- From: ProfoxTech [mailto:profoxtech-bounces@leafe.com] On Behalf Of Kevin Cully Sent: Thursday, October 05, 2017 11:58 AM To: profoxtech@leafe.com Subject: Re: [NF] learn more about what you hate so much.
Hello Paul,
My consulting business didn't focus on creating desktop apps for resale. There are a lot of Xojo developers that do however. I was focusing on developing custom software for small and medium businesses and Xojo is an excellent tool to rapidly develop solutions for the business.
I've taken a full time job with our county government and I'm developing Xojo applications for them. Most of them are internal-only web applications to ease in getting the updates into the hands of the people that need them. Just deploy the updated web app and I'm done! Just as it should be. My users literally state that they would quit their jobs if their custom written web apps were taken away from them.
Here are some of the Xojo apps that I've written in the last 2 years:
- A web application that allows the building inspectors to see their building inspections for the day, bulk re-assign the inspections in the case that an inspector is sick or on vacation, and to print a report of the inspections with the private notes from the requestor that might have the gate codes, loose dog on property info, etc.
- A web application that allows for document review by the building inspectors allowing them to review affidavits and engineer letters pertaining to permits. The inspector can then accept or reject the letter in the case the letter doesn't meet the requirements. If the letter is rejected, then an email goes to the primary contact on the permit explaining the reason the letter is rejected. All data changes are logged to an audit table.
- A desktop/web hybrid application that does data mining / graphing of the data pertaining to building permits, planning applications, and business licenses. This "Dashboard" application generates dozens of charts and publishes the data to various department websites for display. It takes 8 seconds for all of the data to be queried and the charts generated. It's run twice a day automatically and then terminates when done.
- The road-inventory application allows for the querying of roads in the counties and tracks their condition and history of maintenance. When the Roads & Bridges department finishes one job, it is far easier and cheaper to move their equipment to close-by roads and this application allows them to do so more efficiently.
- Our fleet department has a vertical market application but it has some limited reporting capability. I'm writing a web application that allows for more flexible reporting that doesn't require an install or a license for the vertical market application.
I don't think that's a bad list of applications for less than 2 years on the job! Xojo rocks just like Foxpro rocks.
-Kevin
On 10/05/2017 10:59 AM, Paul H. Tarver wrote:
Are you using Xojo for desktop applications for resale? If so, are you pleased with how it works for that purpose?
Paul H. Tarver Email: paul@tpcqpc.com
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