FastTips for FoxPro for Windows: Interface Features Q&A

ID: Q96172

2.50 WINDOWS kbprg kbinterop kbole kbfasttip kbappnote

The information in this article applies to:

      Microsoft(R) Technical Support Application Note (Text File)
           FW0931: INTERFACE FEATURES QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
                                                  Revision Date: 10/93
                                                      No Disk Included

The following information applies to Microsoft FoxPro(R) version 2.5 for Windows(TM).

| INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT AND ANY SOFTWARE THAT MAY     |
| ACCOMPANY THIS DOCUMENT (collectively referred to as an Application |
| Note) IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER      |
| EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED      |
| WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND/OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR       |
| PURPOSE. The user assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and    |
| the use of this Application Note. This Application Note may be      |
| copied and distributed subject to the following conditions:  1) All |
| text must be copied without modification and all pages must be      |
| included;  2) If software is included, all files on the disk(s)     |
| must be copied without modification (the MS-DOS(R)  utility         |
| diskcopy is appropriate for this purpose);  3) All components of    |
| this Application Note must be distributed together;  and  4) This   |
| Application Note may not be distributed for profit.                 |
|                                                                     |
| Copyright (C) 1993 Microsoft Corporation.  All Rights Reserved.     |
| Microsoft, FoxPro, and MS-DOS are registered trademarks and Windows |
| is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.                            |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|

1. Q. The windows and controls created in FoxPro 2.5 for Windows look
       different from those in FoxPro for MS-DOS. Why is this?

    A. The windows and controls in FoxPro 2.5 for Windows look
       different from those in FoxPro 2.5 for MS-DOS because FoxPro
       for Windows was designed to conform to the Windows 3.1
       interface guidelines for applications. These guidelines allow
       Windows 3.1 users to use the same methods of moving, selecting,
       and changing windows across all Windows-based applications.
       FoxPro windows now include Control-menu boxes and Minimize,
       Maximize, and Restore buttons.  For a complete discussion of
       window styles and terminology, consult the "Getting Started"
       manual.

2. Q. What is the purpose of the window Control-menu box?

    A. The Control-menu box provides a quick method for moving,
       sizing, selecting, and switching windows. Clicking the Control-
       menu box opens the menu with its list of tasks. Double-clicking
       the Control-menu box closes the window.

3. Q. I have noticed that some windows can be resized and others
       cannot. Why is this?

    A. FoxPro for Windows contains both sizable and nonsizable
       windows. Windows that contain a text-editing region are
       sizable. Examples of sizable windows are the Command window,
       the Screen Design window, and the Calendar window. These
       windows contain scroll bars and a sizing box in the bottom-
       right corner of the window.  Examples of nonsizable windows
       include the View window and the Relational Query By Example
       (RQBE) window. Nonsizable windows use only the Control-menu box
       and the Minimize button.

4. Q. The keyboard shortcuts in FoxPro for Windows have changed. Why
       is this? Is there a way to restore the FoxPro for MS-DOS style
       keystrokes?

    A. FoxPro for Windows uses the Windows-standard keystrokes (such
       as ENTER to select a focused choice). FoxPro for Windows
       supports both an MS-DOS keystroke mode and a Windows keystroke
       mode. Refer to FoxPro's online help for details on differences
       in the two keystroke modes. You chose at installation time
       which mode to use; however, you can change the mode at any time
       interactively in FoxPro by issuing one of the following
       commands:

          set keycomp to dos

          -or-

          set keycomp to windows

       Each time you load FoxPro, the default KEYCOMP setting is
       invoked. To permanently change the setting of KEYCOMP, change
       the CONFIG.FPW file to include the appropriate statement:

          keycomp=dos

          -or-

          keycomp=windows

5. Q. When I create a database and press the ENTER key to add a new
       field, I find that the dialog box unexpectedly closes. Why is
       this?

    A. The keystroke navigation is different between Windows and
       MS-DOS. In FoxPro for MS-DOS, the keystroke equivalent of clicking
       the focus button is CTRL+ENTER, whereas in Windows, it is the
       ENTER key. Pressing the ENTER key in the Table Structure dialog
       box tells FoxPro you have chosen the OK button. To restore the
       MS-DOS keystroke mode in Windows, issue the command SET KEYCOMP
       TO DOS.

6. Q. The menu for FoxPro for Windows has changed. Why is this? Is
       the MS-DOS version of the menu available?

    A. The menu in FoxPro for Windows has been modified for
       consistency with the Windows Interface Application Design
       Specification. The System menu in the FoxPro 2.0 menu bar has
       been removed, and a number of specific menu items have been
       moved elsewhere. Take a moment to explore the new menu
       structure and familiarize yourself with the changes. Note that
       a brief message describing each menu item is displayed in the
       status bar at the bottom of the main FoxPro window.

       If you are more comfortable with the menu bar layout of FoxPro
       2.0, we have provided a FoxPro menu program that recreates this
       layout. This program is called DOS.MPR and is located in the
       GOODIES subdirectory. Running this menu program replaces the
       FoxPro for Windows-style menu bar with the FoxPro 2.0-style
       menu bar layout while retaining the Text menu for multiple font
       support.

       To automatically display the FoxPro 2.0 menu bar when FoxPro
       for Windows is open, place the following command to execute the
       DOS.MPR program in the CONFIG.FPW file:

          command = do c:\foxprow\goodies\dos\dos.mpr

        NOTE: Modify the complete path specification for DOS.MPR based
        on your specific installation.

7. Q. The Edit menu contains a number of new commands, such as Paste
       Special and Change Link.  What are these options, and how are
       they used?

    A. These new Edit menu commands support object linking and
       embedding (OLE). The options include: Paste Special, Insert
       Object, Object, Change Link, and Convert To Static. For a
       detailed discussion of OLE topics, consult the FoxPro
       "Developer's Guide." For additional information on the new Edit
       menu options, consult the FoxPro "User's Guide."

8. Q. The Program menu contains a new command called Beautify. What
       does it do?

    A. The Beautify command makes program files easier to read by
       altering the appearance of the file. Options include altering
       the case of keywords and variables, and adding additional
       indentation within procedures and DO CASE statements. Action
       diagram symbols can also be added to the .PRG file to highlight
       program organization by bracketing specific control statements
       such as:

          IF
           DO [item]
          ELSE
           DO [item]
          ENDIF

9. Q. The Text menu is a new feature. What does it do?

    A. The Text menu adds support for multiple fonts and text
       formatting. The Font command on the Text menu makes all your
       installed Windows fonts available in FoxPro.

        NOTE: A font option is also available for Browse windows.

       The Enlarge and Reduce Font commands change all text to the
       next available point size in the currently selected font.  To
       alter the spacing of the current text file, select Single
       Space, 1 1/2 Space, or Double Space.

       The Indent command performs a block indent by automatically
       moving a selected group of lines to the next tab stop. The
       Undent command does the opposite by moving a selected group of
       lines back to the previous tab stop.

10. Q. Occasionally an Object menu becomes visible. When is it
       displayed and why?

    A. The Object menu is available when either the Screen Builder or
       the Report Writer window is open. As with the Text and Browse
       menus, the Object menu has access to fonts. Specific commands
       on the Object menu are enabled and disabled based on the
       currently selected object.

       For example, a rectangle drawn in the Screen Design window may
       have an outline or pen color, a background or fill color, and a
       fill pattern.

11. Q. FoxPro for Windows includes the Windows-style Help dialog box.
       Is there any way to access the FoxPro 2.0-style help system?

    A. By default, FoxPro for Windows uses the Windows-style Help
       system.  To access the FoxPro-2.0 style help system, enter the
       following command in the Command window:

          set help to foxhelp.dbf

       Pressing F1 or choosing Help from the menu bar will bring up
       the FoxPro 2.0-style help system.

       To return to the Windows-style Help system, enter the following
       command in the Command window:

          set help to foxhelp.hlp

       To permanently change the help system to the FoxPro 2.0 style,
       add this statement to your CONFIG.FPW file:

          help=foxhelp.dbf

Additional reference words: FoxWin 2.50 ivrfax fasttips KBCategory: kbprg kbinterop kbole kbfasttip kbappnote KBSubcategory: FxinteropOle
Keywords          : FxinteropOle 
Version           : 2.50
Platform          : WINDOWS

Last Reviewed: December 13, 1996