INFO: Contents of the FoxPro 2.6a for Macintosh "FoxPro Readme" File

ID: Q120550

2.60a
MACINTOSH
kbreadme
The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

Following is the complete "FoxPro Readme" file located in the main FoxPro folder ("Microsoft FoxPro 2.6" by default).


MORE INFORMATION

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Release Notes for


Microsoft(R) FoxPro(R) for Macintosh(R) and Power Macintosh(TM)
Version 2.6a
(C)1994 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.



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Information in this document is more current than that in the manuals or in online Help.

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Contents



Part 1: Notes About FoxPro for Macintosh
Part 2: FoxPro and Other Applications
Part 3: Other Readme Files
Part 4: Microsoft Knowledge Base


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Part 1: Notes About FoxPro for Macintosh

This section includes information about: 


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FoxPro Filename Restrictions

Do not use backslashes (\) or quotation marks (") as embedded characters in folder and filenames. Although the Macintosh accepts backslashes and quotation marks as valid characters, FoxPro uses these characters to make filenames compatible across platforms.

Whenever possible, keep pathnames shorter than 256 characters. 


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Printing FoxPro General Fields

When printing general fields using an Apple LaserWriter, "Black & White" output appears as all black, "Color/Grayscale" output appears with a gray background, and "Calibrated Color/Grayscale" output (if using the LaserWriter 8 driver) appears WYSIWYG (that is, as a white background). For information on how to resolve print output issues, please read Knowledge Base article Q117214. For more information on accessing KB articles, see Part 4, "Microsoft Knowledge Base." 


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Redirecting Printing to a PostScript File

To redirect a printing job from a printer that supports PostScript to a PostScript file, issue the following command:

LIST FILE <filename> TO PRINT PROMPT

The Print dialog appears with the option to select a PostScript file as a destination.

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Sending a File to a Port

If you send a text file or a program to a port (COM1 or COM2), you must save your file with the end-of-file character, Ctrl-Z. This ensures that FoxPro can find the end of your document. If you do not include the end-of-file character, FoxPro will not print the last line of your document. To save the file with the end-of-file character, check the box labeled "Save Text With Ctrl-Z" in the Edit Preferences dialog.

You can print only character-based documents directly to a port. To print graphics files, such as a FoxPro report, you must use the printer driver. To reset the printer to use the printer driver selected with the Macintosh Chooser, issue the following command: 

SET PRINTER TO 



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Changing Paper Sizes for the ImageWriter

To change paper sizes for an ImageWriter printer, you need to adjust the FoxPro for Macintosh resource file. Information about paper sizes is stored in the PREC resource of FoxPro and is accessed through the Page Setup dialog.

Custom page sizes are not available with all printer drivers. For instance, you cannot change the paper size used by a LaserWriter(R).

To add a custom paper size option to the Page Setup dialog:
  1. Quit FoxPro for Macintosh.


  2. Open FoxPro for Macintosh in a resource editor.


  3. Open the PREC resource.


  4. Open the ID number 4.


  5. In the field labeled "Number of Btns," change the number from 5 to 6.


  6. In the fields labeled "Btn 6 Height" and "Btn 6 Width," enter the height and width of the new paper size. Each number represents 1/120th of an inch. For example, an 8 1/2-by-11-inch paper size has a height of 1320 and a width of 1020.


  7. In the field labeled "Btn 6 Name," add a descriptive name to appear next to the button.


  8. Save your changes and exit the resource editor.


To use the custom paper size option
  1. Use the Chooser to select an ImageWriter printer.


  2. Start FoxPro.


  3. From the File menu, select Page Setup.


  4. Choose the custom paper size.


FoxPro adds a 1/2-inch margin at the top of all documents printed with an ImageWriter. To remove the margin, check the box labeled "No Gaps Between Pages" in the Page Setup dialog. 


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Notes on Using Mail Merge 


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Creating a New Catalog

When creating a new catalog, don't use quotation marks in the file name you specify for the new catalog. 


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Switching from dBASE

The Switching from dBASE topic in online Help documents the Convert dBASE Files... option on the Run menu. This option does not appear on the Run menu in FoxPro for Macintosh. Use the Catalog Manager to convert dBASE files.

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Part 2: FoxPro and Other Applications



This section includes information about: 


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Importing 4th Dimension, FileMaker Pro, Microsoft Works, and Microsoft Excel Files

You can import files created by the following programs to FoxPro for Macintosh:

Use the Catalog Manager to import these files or use the FoxPro application called IMPORT.APP, located in the GOODIES:MISC folder.

To run IMPORT.APP: -OR- SET DEFAULT TO "Macintosh HD:Microsoft FoxPro 2.6:Goodies:Misc" DO IMPORT.APP

**Note** IMPORT.APP does not import the following from 4th Dimension and FileMaker Pro: 

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Changing Color Settings

FoxPro for Macintosh supports both black-and-white and color settings. However, FoxPro for Macintosh does not recognize changes to color settings made by third-party utilities while FoxPro is running. To make FoxPro recognize changes in color settings made by third-party utilities, you must exit and restart FoxPro. This ensures that any objects you create in FoxPro are saved in the correct color setting. 


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Using the QuickTime Extension

You can use the QuickTime extension of Macintosh System 7.1 to access and control time-based data such as video and audio recordings. FoxPro for Macintosh uses the latest version of the QuickTime extension, version 1.6.2. Versions earlier than version 1.6.1 may cause unexpected results.

For information about using QuickTime with FoxPro, see the QuickTime topic in online Help. 


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Using the XCMD Header File

To call FoxPro for Macintosh from an XCMD you need to add a reference to the FoxPro header file to the XCMD, as follows: 


    #INCLUDE xcmd.h


The FoxPro XCMD header file, XCMD.H, is located in the GOODIES:MISC folder. 


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FoxPro and Gregg's Buttons

Gregg's Buttons modifies the way system dialogs and menus appear. FoxPro doesn't support most of these modifications. 


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FoxPro and QuickKeys

If you are using QuickKeys, pressing F1 does not bring up FoxPro Help. To bring up the Help file while using QuickKeys, press Command + ? or type HELP in the Command window. 


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FoxPro and the Radius Pivot Monitor

If you are using a Radius Pivot monitor, you must change the orientation of the monitor before starting FoxPro. The windows and status bar of FoxPro are not updated properly if you change monitor orientation while FoxPro is running. 


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FoxPro and Network Systems

Some FoxPro users might experience unexpected results when using unsupported network software to share files. For example:

On DEC(R) Pathworks(TM) systems, the file locking mechanism is not synchronized across multiple platforms. If a Windows workstation is accessing a shared file on the Pathworks server, Macintosh workstations might receive a "File in use by another" message. This message doesn't appear if only Macintosh workstations (or only Windows workstations) are accessing the file.

On Banyan(R) VINES(R) systems, updating a table with SET EXCLUSIVE OFF has unpredictable results. Use EXCLUSIVE access to ensure that updates work.

In addition, Microsoft Windows NT(TM) Advanced Server users might notice that tables set as EXCLUSIVE in FoxPro for Macintosh can still be set as SHARED in FoxPro for Windows. This problem is being addressed with NT Service Pack 2. 


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FoxPro and Accelerator Cards

The following accelerator cards have compatibility issues:

Contact your card vendor for additional information. 


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FoxPro and Fontographer 3.2

There is an extensions conflict between RESERVED.MLB in FoxPro and MXText in Fontographer 3.2 that prevents Microsoft Word 5.1a from printing. To print from Word, either remove RESERVED.MLB and keep MXText, or remove MXText and keep RESERVED.MLB. 


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FoxPro and TearOFF Menu Extensions

It's recommended that you run FoxPro without the TearOFF menu extensions.

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Part 3: Other Readme Files

The Standard Edition includes these other Readme files.

Provides information about installing FoxPro on a network server. The FoxPro Readme - Network file is located on Install Disk 1.

Provides information on what to do before and during installation. The Readme Before Installation file is located on Install Disk 1.

Provides answers to commonly asked questions about FoxPro for Macintosh. The Q&A Readme file is located in the folder containing FoxPro.

Provides information about FoxTools, a library that makes Macintosh system functions available for use by FoxPro, in the file called FoxTools ReadMe. The FoxTools Readme file is located in the GOODIES:MISC folder.

The Professional Edition includes these other Readme files:

Provides information on what to do before and during installation, including how to install the Professional Kits. The Readme Before Install-Pro file is located on Install Disk 1.

Provides information on using the Connectivity Kit.

Provides information on using the Distribution Kit.

Provides information on using the Library Construction Kit.

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Part 4: Microsoft Knowledge Base

For the most up-to-date information about Microsoft FoxPro for Macintosh and other Microsoft products, see the Microsoft Knowledge Base and the Microsoft Software Library.

The Microsoft Knowledge Base contains more than 40,000 detailed articles with technical information about Microsoft products, bug lists, fix lists, documentation errors, and answers to commonly asked technical questions-- all available through the Microsoft TechNet compact disc, the Microsoft Developer Network compact disc, and the Internet.

The Microsoft Software Library is an information resource that can be accessed through the same sources as the Microsoft Knowledge Base. This library contains sample programs, device drivers, patches, software updates, and programming aids. To help you quickly evaluate choices, a brief text description is displayed when you view each item. Additionally, many items have an associated Microsoft Knowledge Base article that more fully describes the information.

To access the Knowledge Base through the Internet, use anonymous logon. The name of the server is ftp.microsoft.com, and the IP address is 207.46.133.140. Connect through the FTP server on your network, and at the FTP prompt, type:

open ftp.microsoft.com


At the user prompt, type:

anonymous


At the password prompt, type your full Internet name.

To access the Fox portion of the Knowledge Base, type the following commands: 


   cd deskapps
   cd fox
   cd kb


and read the README.TXT file. 


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Microsoft, FoxPro, and MS-DOS are registered trademarks and Windows and Windows NT are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

4th Dimension is a registered trademark of ACIUS/ACI. Apple, AppleTalk, ImageWriter, LaserWriter and Macintosh are registered trademarks and Power Macintosh, Geneva, Monaco, and QuickTime are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. Banyan and VINES are registered trademarks of Banyan Systems, Inc. DEC is a registered trademark and Pathworks is a trademark of Digital Equipment Corporation. FileMaker is a registered trademark of Claris Corporation. Norton Utilities is a registered trademark of Symantec Corporation. PostScript is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems, Inc. Radius is a trademark of Radius, Inc.

**End of Readme**

Additional query words: FoxMac 2.60a 


Keywords          : 
Version           : MACINTOSH:2.6a
Platform          : MACINTOSH 
Issue type        : kbinfo

Last Reviewed: February 18, 1999