Visual FoxPro Course Outlines

Our Visual FoxPro training program includes four Visual FoxPro courses, which are designed for introductory, intermediate and advanced level application developers. Classes are offered at our training center in Indianapolis, and at customer sites upon request.

In addition to training for developers and programmers, we offer training for power users of Visual FoxPro who desire to create special utilities, custom reports, etc. that interact within VFP. For those interested in this level of training, you'll want to check out our VFP201 course.  If you want to use FoxPro as a front-end to connect to remote data sources, like SQL Server and Oracle, you'll want to check out our VFP301 course as well.

The course materials include content specific to VFP6, VFP7, VFP8 and VFP9 and the computer labs are setup so participants may choose which version they want to use during class: Microsoft Visual FoxPro 6.0 SP5, Visual FoxPro 7.0 SP1, Visual FoxPro 8.0 SP1, Visual FoxPro 9.0 SP2.

Course 201| Course 202| Course 301| Course 401

VFP201 Course

Introduction to Application Development in Microsoft Visual FoxPro (Part I): A 3-day course designed to build skills in creating Tables, Indexes and Databases, extracting data using Queries and Local Views, and generating output with Reports, and Labels. Developers find this course an excellent foundation for working with Visual FoxPro data in an object-oriented and event-driven environment. Prerequisite: Product familiarity. Fee: $1050.

In this VFP201 course you learn how to...

• Identify the components of Visual FoxPro and how they interact.
• Export and import data and files to and from other software.
• Create tables and indexes that fully utilize Rushmore technology.
• Create databases and use the built-in data dictionary features.
• Write programs to load tables, set relations, and interact with the data.
• Use three different approaches to designing and running reports and labels.
• Write SQL-Select solutions to a variety of query problems.
• Create reports and labels from tables as well as the output of queries and views.
• Create a front-end forms to obtain values for a parameterized views.
• Create complex reports from multiple data sources.

During the training you will...

• Create an overview diagram of the components of Visual FoxPro, including special interoperability features with other OLE aware software, extending the functionality via APIs and connecting to remote data sources via SQL Pass through code..
• Export and import data to and from different types of files (i.e., delimited text files, Microsoft Excel, etc.).
• Create a UserProfile table and explore different types of indexes that take full advantage of Rushmore technology.
• Explore the effects of the Set Deleted command when designing applications forms, reports and labels, and the effects of creating a special DelRecords index tag using the Deleted( ) function as the expression.
• Create an Intfoods database, set primary indexes of parent tables, establish persistent relationships with related child tables, and set referential integrity rules.
• Write an OpenData program to load tables, set relationships, display results in multiple browse windows, plus create a utility browse in a single-window with columns from fields of related tables and controlled access to selected columns.
• Design a variety of reports and labels using report-driven, form-driven and program-driven approaches.
• Explore rendering reports via a RunRpts.exe, AppRpts.app and AppRpts2.exe application files provided for the course, and review the provided source code for customization.
• Explore the effects of various settings of the Set EngineBehavior command, in VFP8 and VFP9, on SQL-Select outputs when various operators are used in creating Queries and Views (i.e., =, = =, like, etc.). 
• Explore the effects of various settings of the new VFP9 Set ReportBehavior command which enhances the display of the report and label preview windows.
• Create a variety of SQL-Select Queries and Local Views that create temporary cursors that can be used as data sources for reports and labels.
• Create a variety of reports and labels from tables, queries and views.
• Create a front-end GetCountry form to obtain a selected country before running a parameterized local view of the Customer table.
• Create a Product Inventory report from a Local View of the Products table, and a Customer Orders report from related Customer and Orders tables.

VFP202 Course

Introduction to Application Development in Microsoft Visual FoxPro (Part II): A 2-day course designed to build skills in creating custom Forms, system Menus and application control Programs.  The components are created and written generically so they can be reused when developing your own applications. Recommended Prerequisites: Course 201. Fee: $700.

In this VFP202 course you learn how to...

• Use key Visual FoxPro programming language commands and functions.
• Establish data relationships, field/record validation, and referential integrity rules.
• Create generic forms for locating records and input for parameterized views.
• Create custom form and control classes for working with the data.
• Add properties and methods and write code for desired functionality.
• Create an introductory level framework of reusable components.
• Create application forms from the reusable components.
• Create appropriate system menus for an application.
• Develop a generic application control program that can be reused as a template.
• Build an introductory level Win32 applications that can run from a Windows icon.
• Create an environment for testing an application.
• Create a distribution setup to deploying an application.

During the training you will...

• Develop and implement a Referential Integrity strategy for related tables in a database container which arm Update, Delete and Insert triggers that call User Defined Functions located in Stored Procedures of the database container.
• Be introduced to various approaches to handling Business Rule Logic from internal business logic code in Valid events of data controls to external business logic code in AppNameBusinessRules components (i.e., programs, classes, executables, and COM Servers).
• Write code for handling business logic in field and table level validation of associated tables in a database container.
• Design a generic BroWin form to present records from which a user can select a record to display and modify as desired in an application form.
• Design a front-end GetCountry form to obtain a selected country before running a parameterized local view of the Customer table.
• Design a generic introductory-level DataForm class and an AppFormA subclass which can be used as a template when developing application specific data-entry forms for an introductory level application using the VFP202 framework.
• Design a generic CommandButtonContainer class and an AppFormATxtbtns subclass which can be placed on application specific data-entry forms to communicate with custom methods designed into the AppFormA and DataForm classes to navigate among the records, locate and display a record on which to work, and then print, add, edit or delete the displayed record.
• Design application specific menus as well as generic utility menus for users and developers (i.e., MyApp, MyAppDev, plus Utility and UtilityDev menus).
• Design an application control program to setup the environment for and application, launch the application and provide a means to respond to commands from menu prompts, and the cleanup the environment as the application closes and returns to and interactive session of FoxPro, or exits to Windows.
• Build and run a Win32 MyApp.exe executable from the MyApp project and run to test functionality.
• Run a special SetupVFP202Development program to programmatically create a folder structure and environment complete with a Master Framework folder in which reusable components are placed for Rapid Application Development of introductory-level applications.
• Run a special CreateVFP202DevEnvironment program from within a Master Framework project to create folder structures and environments for developing future introductory-level MDI applications using the VFP202 framework.
• Run a special CreateVFP401TestEnvironment program from within future application projects to create testing structures and environment of the applications before deployment.

VFP301 Course

Programming for Developers Using Microsoft Visual FoxPro: A 5-day intermediate level course designed to enhance your programming skills while developing an intermediate level framework of reusable components, exploring interoperability with other OLE aware software, extended functionality with APIs, working with high-end data sources, and deploying applications on the web. Recommended Prerequisites: Course 201 and 202. Fee: $1,750.

In this VFP301 course you will learn how to...

• Use key commands and functions of the programming language.
• Create classes programmatically and visually.
• Add a comprehensive error handling process for robust applications.
• Create intermediate level application, form and control classes.
• Create an intermediate level framework of reusable components for rapid application development.
• Validate data changes against business rules, and develop a strategy to  effectively process the rules, secure the business logic, and easily modify and deploy changes to the rules.
• Create MDI and SDI applications from the framework.
• Obtain desired functionality of Baseclass and ActiveX Controls.
• Connect to a web site and send e-mail with hyperlink and MAPI controls.
• Explore interoperability of VFP with Excel, PowerPoint, Word and other OLE aware software.
• Add appropriate features to support multiple instances and users, resolve data entry conflicts and effectively handle transaction processing.
• Access remote date sources in client/server applications with remote views, and SQL Pass Through (SPT), to SQL Server, Oracle, etc.
• Explore taking views offline, making changes to the data, and merging changes to data sources when the view is brought back online.
• Extend the functionality of VFP with Windows APIs and other DLLs written in C⁺⁺.
• Create advanced features: (1) custom wizards and builders to perform special tasks during application development, (2) advanced login feature with password encryption, (3) advanced setup for deploying single-user applications that can be easily upgraded to multi-user applications, (4) secure FoxPro tables and databases against unauthorized access outside the application, (5) create backup programs to rebuild database structures and indexes, and (6) advanced reporting features using the new ReportListener class and special reporting apps in VFP9.
• Deploy Visual FoxPro applications on the web, via Active Server Pages (ASP and ASP.NET), with COM Servers (developed in VFP) that pass calls to business rules, located in business rule executable files, which validate the rules based on data in FoxPro tables and other data sources like SQL Server and Oracle.

During the training you will...

• Explore key commands and functions used in writing code.
• Explore key properties, events and methods of FoxPro objects.
• Explore the features and functionality of the FoxPro Debugger.
• Examine how error handling is processed in objects and the global error handler.
• Examine the AppError components provided for handling global errors and how they are deployed within an application.
• Design generic BroWin. BroWin1, BroWin2, BroWin3 and Browin4 forms to present records from which a user can select a record to display and modify as desired in an application form. Each form provides a unique way in which users can search for and select a desired record.
• Design a generic intermediate-level DataForm class along with an AppFormA subclassed form, which can be used as templates when developing Type A application specific data-entry forms for intermediate-level applications using the VFP301 framework.
• Explore each of the form control objects and add intermediate-level features to the framework.
• Design an AppNameBusinessRules.exe executable to process Business Rule Logic via classes and methods within the executable which respond to appropriate calls in Valid events of data controls and UDF calls in Field and Table validation rules of associated tables.
• Modify business logic code in Valid events of data controls bound to free tables,  Stored Procedures of databases with associated tables or a special Stored Procedures files interacting with free and associated tables to process the logic through the AppNameBusinessRules.exe executable files.
• Design and build intermediate-level MDI and SDI applications.
• Design components that use ActiveX OLE Controls (i.e.MAPI controls for programmatically creating and sending email, and the Microsoft Calendar control to allow user selection of dates from a popup calendars).
• Design components that interoperate with Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint through OLE Automation.  This will include automated mail merge in Microsoft Word from cursors of FoxPro data or remote data sources like SQL Server or Oracle, automated creation of graphs in Excel and slideshows in PowerPoint.
• Explore the functions and commands that help manage conflicts that can occur when saving edited records in multi-user and multi-session environments.
• Expand the code in the mUpdate method of the Dataform class to handle update conflicts in multi-user applications using free as well as associated tables.
• Create DSNs in the Windows ODBC Manager to connect to sample databases in Microsoft Access and SQL Server.
• Create FoxPro Connections and Remote Views to "other than FoxPro" databases via established DSNs in the Windows ODBC Manager.
• Connect to and interact with remote databases via SQL Pass Through code.
• Declare and use various Windows API functions located in various DLL's that ship with Windows.
• Design custom Wizards and Builders based on the wizard and builder architecture and source code that ships with FoxPro.
• Explore the components of the Login feature provided in the VFP301 framework which includes application specific components that are created programmatically via a special ConfigureApplicationSetup program using generic AppNameSetup and AppNameUserProfile components.
• Design a way to deploy applications as single-user applications with the option to upgrade to multi-user applications with a deployed executable to handle the upgrade.
• Design ways to secure FoxPro tables for access only from within an application.
• Add advanced report and label destinations for output to preview, print, ASCI text files, HTML files, XML files, tab delimited text files, and to Microsoft Excel files.
• Design components to deploy Visual FoxPro applications on the web, via Active Server Pages (ASP and ASP.NET), with COM Servers (developed in VFP) that pass calls to business rules, located in business rule executable files, which validate the rules based on data in FoxPro tables and other data sources like SQL Server and Oracle.  For the COM Server feature to work in VFP9, you will need to download and install Service Pack 2.
• Run a special SetupVFP301Development program to programmatically create a folder structure and environment complete with a Master Framework folder in which reusable components are placed for Rapid Application Development of intermediate-level applications.
• Run a special CreateVFP301DevEnvironment program from within Master Framework and Framework_sdi projects to create folder structures and environments for developing future intermediate-level MDI and SDI applications using the VFP301 framework.
• Run a special CreateVFP301TestEnvironment program from within future application projects to create testing structures and environment of the applications before deployment.

VFP401 Course

Advanced Application Development in Microsoft Visual FoxPro: A 5-day advanced level course designed to assist developers in developing an advanced level framework with generic application, form and control classes that will greatly increase your productivity in quickly creating future applications. Recommended Prerequisites: Course 201, 202, and 301. Fee: $1,750.

In this VFP401 course you will you learn how to...

• Develop an advanced application framework to build mission-critical applications.
• Customize a generic application control program to meet client needs.
• Integrate functionality of system menus and form toolbars with application forms.
• Build application forms from four different types of data-entry form classes.
• Create custom multi-table forms with integrated grid controls..
• Use transaction processing to manage table updates across multiple tables.
• Apply advanced techniques when designing and modifying reports at run time.
• Include Spell Check and Windows style help features for your applications.
• Create utility programs to manage data files and recover from data corruption.
• Create a development & testing environment for future development

During the training you will...

• Examine and use a modeless Messagebx function provided in this course to replace the modal Messagebox function for successful deployment of an application timeout feature.
• Design an application timeout feature which uses allowed time periods, for user inactivity, set in the user's profile.  The design will include a subclassed timer control in the application control program and the use of a number of timer controls and logic strategically placed in various application components.
• Enhance the design of the AppFormA form architecture developed in our VFP301 course, and design AppFormB, AppFormC, and AppFormD form architectures.
• Design a means of developing and testing various form architectures with passed parameters to the executable files for both MDI and SDI applications..
• Develop AppFormXTxtbtns and AppFormXPicbtns command button container classses and AppFormXToolbar toolbar classes for use with Type A, B, C and D form architectures.
• Develop AppUser files to replace the FoxUser resource files, AppName.INI information files to store user preferences, and AppForms files to track size and location of application forms, and place the files in user folders specified in the user's profile.
• Design a means to save and restore the current data environment when FoxPro is running in interactive StartMode.
• Insert code to check validity of path statement and user access to specified folders.
• Design a means to save, clear, set and restore keyboard on-key-label assignments.
• Provide a way to allow users to create their own keyboard macros within an application.
• Provide a means to save the current Help feature settings, set application help to customized help files, and restore FoxPro Help, if the application is running in the interactive StartMode.
• Add code to optionally run deployed FileName.wav sound effect files.
• Design a User Options feature similar to what Microsoft provides in Visual FoxPro, and their Office Products (i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
• Incorporate a spelling and grammar check interface using automation calls to Microsoft Word, or optionally using a spell checking interface written entirely in Visual FoxPro.   
• Design a means to programmatically cascade opened application forms without changing the dimensions of opened application forms..
• Design an application navigation feature with an AppNav toolbar, AppNav form and AppNav menu to optionally run application forms from a switchboard form.
• Design a complex multiple table data-entry form for processing customer orders using a PageFrame control with order header info on Page1 and line items records for each order in a Grid control on Page2.
• Design data management components with code to cleanup selected application tables, maintain working indexes, etc.
• Design a means to allow users to modify distributed reports from within a deployed application. This will include exploration of the Protected features of distributed report and label designs.
• Run a special SetupVFP401Development program to programmatically create a folder structure and environment complete with a Master Framework folder in which reusable components are placed for Rapid Application Development of advanced applications.
• Run a special CreateVFP401DevEnvironment program from within Master Framework and Framework_sdi projects to create folder structures and environments for developing future advanced MDI and SDI applications using the VFP401 framework.
• Run a special CreateVFP401TestEnvironment program from within future application projects to create testing structures and environment of the applications before deployment.

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