Hello there Oh Mighty ProFox Hive Mind!
As many of you know - I've been doing a lot of digging in to AI recently - to use it as a Tool for FoxPro system conversion.
We are now at the point of looking at weather to use an Online AI tool (like Claude or CoPilot) vs. using a Local LLM (like Ollama and loading it with an AI Model).
So, today - for the Hell of it - I put a question to the M$ CoPilot, essentially asking AI which AI option is the Best to use - for doing a conversion - using this prompt: What are the best AI options to use for trying to convert older Visual FoxPro code to a WPF based C#/.Net platform, in order to automate as much as possible the conversion of a FoxPro based system??
Honestly - I was Very Surprised by it's answer: For automating the conversion of Visual FoxPro code to a WPF-based C#/.NET platform, you might consider tools like FmPro Migrator. It offers a Code Conversion Workbench that supports automated conversion of Visual FoxPro PRG files and form code into C#. This tool allows you to manage the conversion process efficiently, customize machine learning prompts, and even train AI models to improve the quality of the converted code. Additionally, it integrates with tools like GitHub Copilot X and Visual Studio IntelliCode to refine the output further.
As such, my question to the ProFox Hive - has anyone ever heard of this FmPro Migrator? Or, does anyone have any actual experience using it??
TIA, -Kurt
Yes , definitely heard of it before. To me this problem is sort like when Visual FoxPro appeared and everyone was thinking about upgrading their old FoxPro for Windows\DOS applications, and asking if they could just convert the projects and hey presto. But in the end the answer was usually "yes there are conversion tools but in the long run you will be better off rewriting it". And that was a situation where the language was the same.
if your VFP project has good separation of UI and core functionality, with the latter in testable programmatic classes then a tool like this could definitely help move some of the programmatic classes to C#. However personally I wouldn't trust the resultant code at all especially if 'AI' is involved, and I would be making very sure my unit\integration tests were good.
Hey There Alan,
Good morning & TGIF!
Will admit, the website for FmPro just feels a little sketchy. So, not really sure I can trust it!
As for your comments about AI & producing code. I hear ya. But, I have to say - these days - AI is becoming MUCH more sophisticated and its usage is gaining a LOT of traction in lots of different areas. And, it seems to me - that coding is one of the most natural areas to be using it.
I have already some of the "hallucinations" in some of the code I have received from AI. But, at times, even Wayne was pleasantly surprised by some of the code generated from AI - including the fact that it was using Long variable names, and variable names that just Make Sense - and also the fact that it was also generating code with Comments built into the code. So, yeah - it's been producing some really good stuff so far.
-K ________________________________________ From: ProFox on behalf of Alan Bourke Sent: Friday, April 25, 2025 6:21 AM To: profoxtech@leafe.com Subject: Re: FmPro Migrator ???
[You don't often get email from alanpbourke@fastmail.fm. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ]
Yes , definitely heard of it before. To me this problem is sort like when Visual FoxPro appeared and everyone was thinking about upgrading their old FoxPro for Windows\DOS applications, and asking if they could just convert the projects and hey presto. But in the end the answer was usually "yes there are conversion tools but in the long run you will be better off rewriting it". And that was a situation where the language was the same.
if your VFP project has good separation of UI and core functionality, with the latter in testable programmatic classes then a tool like this could definitely help move some of the programmatic classes to C#. However personally I wouldn't trust the resultant code at all especially if 'AI' is involved, and I would be making very sure my unit\integration tests were good.
-- Alan Bourke alanpbourke (at) fastmail (dot) fm _______________________________________________ Post Messages to: ProFox@leafe.com
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Hi Kurt,
that FmPro has converters for a lot of different languages; I once looked at them but wasn't overwhelmed by the results. IMHO, they only converted PRG style code, no scx, vcx etc
The company Macrosoft Inc was very active in fishing for VFP developers at the last DevCons. They provide also different product support at https://www.macrosoftinc.com/products/
Then there was a session at one of the SwFOX conferences https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeu5LYF_7t8&ab_channel=GeekGatherings for converting to X#, which is another xBase.Net product.
And yet another one: https://modlogix.com/visual-foxpro-modernization-services/
oh, and I didn't mention www.lianja.com yet. Now with AI support. Done :=)
-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- Von: ProFox profox-bounces@leafe.com Im Auftrag von Kurt Wendt Gesendet: Donnerstag, 24. April 2025 19:44 An: ProFox Email List profox@leafe.com profox@leafe.com Betreff: FmPro Migrator ???
Hello there Oh Mighty ProFox Hive Mind!
As many of you know - I've been doing a lot of digging in to AI recently - to use it as a Tool for FoxPro system conversion.
We are now at the point of looking at weather to use an Online AI tool (like Claude or CoPilot) vs. using a Local LLM (like Ollama and loading it with an AI Model).
So, today - for the Hell of it - I put a question to the M$ CoPilot, essentially asking AI which AI option is the Best to use - for doing a conversion - using this prompt: What are the best AI options to use for trying to convert older Visual FoxPro code to a WPF based C#/.Net platform, in order to automate as much as possible the conversion of a FoxPro based system??
Honestly - I was Very Surprised by it's answer: For automating the conversion of Visual FoxPro code to a WPF-based C#/.NET platform, you might consider tools like FmPro Migrator. It offers a Code Conversion Workbench that supports automated conversion of Visual FoxPro PRG files and form code into C#. This tool allows you to manage the conversion process efficiently, customize machine learning prompts, and even train AI models to improve the quality of the converted code. Additionally, it integrates with tools like GitHub Copilot X and Visual Studio IntelliCode to refine the output further.
As such, my question to the ProFox Hive - has anyone ever heard of this FmPro Migrator? Or, does anyone have any actual experience using it??
TIA, -Kurt [excessive quoting removed by server]
On 24-Apr-25 11:13 PM, Kurt Wendt wrote:
What are the best AI options to use for trying to convert older Visual FoxPro code to a WPF based C#/.Net platform....
It might have been interesting to ask "What is the best target platform for AI assisted conversion of older Visual Foxpro code " <G>
I don't follow these things very closely but I did hear that Cursor was the AI model of choice for code conversion and Mr. Google (AI mode of course!) said Cursor could handle VFP.
Cheers (_)? (_)? AndyD
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Hey there Andy - thanks for the feedback.
Honestly - I had not heard of Cursor before. Looking around on the Web - seems Cursor is a kind of IDE for help in coding. But, it didn't seem to actually convert FoxPro code. So, I looked at Cursor website, it had a spot to ask questions. As such, I figured I would ask the most obvious question: Can I use Cursor to help me convert FoxPro code to WPF based C#/,Net code?
Well, turns out, it basically concurred with my prior findings - this was it's answer: While Cursor can assist with code conversion tasks through its AI capabilities and code editing features, there's no specific functionality dedicated to FoxPro to WPF/C# conversion. However, you could potentially use Cursor in the following ways: 1. Use the AI-powered conversation interface (CMD+K/Ctrl+K) to help analyze FoxPro code and suggest C# equivalents 2. Leverage code completion and AI assistance while writing the new WPF/C# code 3. Use the editor for handling complex refactoring tasks during the conversion process Since Cursor is built on VS Code, you can also: * Install relevant C# and WPF extensions from the VS Code marketplace * Customize your development environment for .NET development * Use the built-in terminal for running .NET commands Keep in mind that while Cursor can assist in the conversion process, you'll still need to understand both FoxPro and WPF/C# to ensure proper translation of business logic and UI components.
But, the real question I had for you was - what is the domain "hawthorncottage.com" all about? I tried to go to that domain but it seems broken. Yeah - just a little curious for a Friday afternoon...
-K
________________________________________ From: ProFox on behalf of AndyHC Sent: Friday, April 25, 2025 1:20 PM To: profox@leafe.com Subject: Re: FmPro Migrator ???
[You don't often get email from andy@hawthorncottage.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ]
On 24-Apr-25 11:13 PM, Kurt Wendt wrote:
What are the best AI options to use for trying to convert older Visual FoxPro code to a WPF based C#/.Net platform....
It might have been interesting to ask "What is the best target platform
for AI assisted conversion of older Visual Foxpro code " <G>
I don't follow these things very closely but I did hear that Cursor was
the AI model of choice for code conversion and Mr. Google (AI mode of
course!) said Cursor could handle VFP.
Cheers (_)? (_)? AndyD
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Kurt, I haven't had any contact with Andy since the last Prague Devon and then he moved over to Thailand or was it Goa I think. His web address relates to where he used to live in the UK ... I think, but I am sure he will confirm or disprove.
Oh and hi Andy, hope you and your wife are keeping well. I presume you are aware.of Allen's unfortunate passing some years ago. Dave
On Fri, 25 Apr 2025, 19:33 Kurt Wendt, kwendt@pakoinc.com wrote:
Hey there Andy - thanks for the feedback.
Honestly - I had not heard of Cursor before. Looking around on the Web - seems Cursor is a kind of IDE for help in coding. But, it didn't seem to actually convert FoxPro code. So, I looked at Cursor website, it had a spot to ask questions. As such, I figured I would ask the most obvious question: Can I use Cursor to help me convert FoxPro code to WPF based C#/,Net code?
Well, turns out, it basically concurred with my prior findings - this was it's answer: While Cursor can assist with code conversion tasks through its AI capabilities and code editing features, there's no specific functionality dedicated to FoxPro to WPF/C# conversion. However, you could potentially use Cursor in the following ways:
- Use the AI-powered conversation interface (CMD+K/Ctrl+K) to help
analyze FoxPro code and suggest C# equivalents 2. Leverage code completion and AI assistance while writing the new WPF/C# code 3. Use the editor for handling complex refactoring tasks during the conversion process Since Cursor is built on VS Code, you can also:
- Install relevant C# and WPF extensions from the VS Code marketplace
- Customize your development environment for .NET development
- Use the built-in terminal for running .NET commands
Keep in mind that while Cursor can assist in the conversion process, you'll still need to understand both FoxPro and WPF/C# to ensure proper translation of business logic and UI components.
But, the real question I had for you was - what is the domain " hawthorncottage.com" all about? I tried to go to that domain but it seems broken. Yeah - just a little curious for a Friday afternoon...
-K
From: ProFox on behalf of AndyHC Sent: Friday, April 25, 2025 1:20 PM To: profox@leafe.com Subject: Re: FmPro Migrator ???
[You don't often get email from andy@hawthorncottage.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ]
On 24-Apr-25 11:13 PM, Kurt Wendt wrote:
What are the best AI options to use for trying to convert older Visual
FoxPro code to a WPF based C#/.Net platform....
It might have been interesting to ask "What is the best target platform
for AI assisted conversion of older Visual Foxpro code " <G>
I don't follow these things very closely but I did hear that Cursor was
the AI model of choice for code conversion and Mr. Google (AI mode of
course!) said Cursor could handle VFP.
Cheers (_)? (_)? AndyD--- StripMime Report -- processed MIME parts ---
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[excessive quoting removed by server]
Thank for that feedback Dave! -K
________________________________________ From: ProFox on behalf of Dave Crozier Sent: Saturday, May 3, 2025 4:56 PM To: ProFox Email List Subject: Re: FmPro Migrator ??? [You don't often get email from r.d.crozier@gmail.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ]
Kurt,
I haven't had any contact with Andy since the last Prague Devon and then he moved over to Thailand or was it Goa I think. His web address relates to where he used to live in the UK ... I think, but I am sure he will confirm or disprove.
Oh and hi Andy, hope you and your wife are keeping well. I presume you are aware.of Allen's unfortunate passing some years ago.
Dave
On Fri, 25 Apr 2025, 19:33 Kurt Wendt, kwendt@pakoinc.com wrote:
Hey there Andy - thanks for the feedback.
Honestly - I had not heard of Cursor before. Looking around on the Web -
seems Cursor is a kind of IDE for help in coding. But, it didn't seem to
actually convert FoxPro code. So, I looked at Cursor website, it had a spot
to ask questions. As such, I figured I would ask the most obvious
question: Can I use Cursor to help me convert FoxPro code to WPF based
C#/,Net code?
Well, turns out, it basically concurred with my prior findings - this was
it's answer:
While Cursor can assist with code conversion tasks through its AI
capabilities and code editing features, there's no specific functionality
dedicated to FoxPro to WPF/C# conversion. However, you could potentially
use Cursor in the following ways:
- Use the AI-powered conversation interface (CMD+K/Ctrl+K) to help
analyze FoxPro code and suggest C# equivalents
- Leverage code completion and AI assistance while writing the new
WPF/C# code
- Use the editor for handling complex refactoring tasks during the
conversion process
Since Cursor is built on VS Code, you can also:
- Install relevant C# and WPF extensions from the VS Code marketplace
- Customize your development environment for .NET development
- Use the built-in terminal for running .NET commands
Keep in mind that while Cursor can assist in the conversion process,
you'll still need to understand both FoxPro and WPF/C# to ensure proper
translation of business logic and UI components.
But, the real question I had for you was - what is the domain "
hawthorncottage.com" all about? I tried to go to that domain but it seems
broken. Yeah - just a little curious for a Friday afternoon...
-K
From: ProFox on behalf of AndyHC
Sent: Friday, April 25, 2025 1:20 PM
To: profox@leafe.com
Subject: Re: FmPro Migrator ???
[You don't often get email from andy@hawthorncottage.com. Learn why this
is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ]
On 24-Apr-25 11:13 PM, Kurt Wendt wrote:
What are the best AI options to use for trying to convert older Visual
FoxPro code to a WPF based C#/.Net platform....
It might have been interesting to ask "What is the best target platform
for AI assisted conversion of older Visual Foxpro code " <G>
I don't follow these things very closely but I did hear that Cursor was
the AI model of choice for code conversion and Mr. Google (AI mode of
course!) said Cursor could handle VFP.
Cheers (_)? (_)? AndyD
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https://leafe.com/archives/byMID/353c7e39-b890-4349-be77-43fdf2933d9c@hawtho...
** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of
the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. This statement
is added to the messages for those lawyers who are too stupid to see the
obvious.
[excessive quoting removed by server]
-
Alan Bourke -
AndyHC -
Dave Crozier -
juergen＠wondzinski.de -
Kurt Wendt