Vitus Computer Consulting, Inc. Visual FoxPro Tips
Below are some things we've run across while developing in VFP. Some are really basic, but they cost us
hours of debugging and trouble shooting, so we hope to save you the trouble. If you have any suggestions, or tips of your own,
we'd love to have them.
Using CurDir() to return the path
When to use 'm.'
Using the NAME clause
Using CurDir() to return the path
One way to return the path of the executable is : path= SYS(5) + CurDir(). This will work fine, but if you are running
the app under NT, make sure the Working Directory in the properties of the icon (in File Manager) is set to the application's
direcory. CurDir() seems to return the Working Directory, not the true current directory.
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When to use 'm.'
I have noticed some confusion in the newsgroups about using the 'm.' prefix. Using 'm.' is only needed if you
have a memory variable with the same name as a field in a currently open table or view. One scenerio for this would
be if you tend to use SCATTER MEMVAR and GATHER MEMVAR. You need to reference the memory variables as m.FieldName,
especially if you move the record pointer in your code while referencing memory variables. Using the 'm.' prefix will
prodce a slight performance hit, but for all intensvie purposes, this is not important (a few seconds more for total
execution time if you reference EVERY memory variable in a large app with 'm.')
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Using the NAME clause
This is a good one that I have just learned. It is quite basic really, but I have noticed that I wasn't the only
one kept in the dark about this clause. If you want to reference one form from another, run the forms using :
DO FORM FileName NAME FormName. Then, reference the properties like : FormName1.Caption = FormName2.Caption
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Vitus@Vitus.com