EXPFF - FoxExpress/FoxFire Linker

Shareware for DOS and Windows written by Andrew Ross MacNeill (76100,2725)

EXPFF is a program that will perform two kinds of conversions :

1.	Convert the FoxExpress Data Dictionary into an existing FoxFire! Data Items and Joins Table

2.	Updates the FoxExpress Data Dictionary Prompts from an existing FoxFire! Data Items Table

Why Use EXPFF?
If you use both FoxExpress and FoxFire!, you probably have spent some time ensuring that the prompts in FoxExpress are similar to the Data Item names in FoxFire! EXPFF is designed to ease this conversion by allowing the transfer of the information stored in either table to the other.

When I work with both products, I tend to update one and then forget about the other. EXPFF allows you to update one and then automatically update the other.

In order to use EXPFF, you must already have both a FoxExpress EXPRESSD Data Dictionary and a FoxFire! Data Items table prepared. The FoxExpress Data Dictionary is created when you set up a FoxExpress version 2.5 application. The FoxFire! Data Items and Joins tables are created when you first create a preference using the Setup Wizard.

EXPFF will update these tables based on information found in either table. 

EXPFF updates the following information :

FoxExpress To FoxFire!
When converting information from Express to FoxFire!, EXPFF updates the all of the information in the FoxFire! Data Items Table.

Data Item Name
Picture Clauses (Both Filter and Report)
When and Valid Clauses (used for Filters)
Report Headers

FoxFire! To FoxExpress
When updating the FoxExpress Data Dictionary, EXPFF allows the user to identify which of the following fields to update:
Prompt and Dialog Titles
Picture Clause
Browse (based on FF! Report Header)
Developer Notes (Based on FF! Description)

How To Use EXPFF

EXPFF can be run two ways - command line and shell. The Shell provides a screen that allows you to choose which update to perform. Command Line allows users to perform the conversion by passing variables to the program itself.

When running from the Command line, there are two parameters to pass to the program :

1. Type of Update 
Syntax : Either EXP2FF or FF2EXP.
This defines the type of update to perform.  
EXP2FF - FoxExpress To FoxFire!
FF2EXP - FoxFire! to FoxExpress

2. Force Update (EXP2FF only)
Syntax : Logical
This tells EXPFF to either update or append the FoxFire! Data Items table.

Samples :

To Run EXPFF using the shell, simply type in the FoxPro command window :

DO EXPFF 

To convert a FoxExpress Dictionary into a FoxFire! table, updating any existing information :
DO EXPFF WITH "EXP2FF",.T.

When converting the Express file into FoxFire!, EXPFF will prompt you to identify your FoxFire! Data Items and Joins table separately. The update is relatively quick especially with smaller applications.


Information on EXPFF
EXPFF is shareware. While fully functional in its current form, future enhancements and full updates will be made available to Registered Users.  Registered Users also benefit from in-depth technical documentation and source code.

Registration is $25 US. Please make cheque out to Trish Meister.

Please send any questions, comments or enhancement requests to Andrew MacNeill on CompuServe. (76100,2725)

Please send cheque or money order to :

EXPFF
c/o Patricia Meister
104E Valley Stream Drive
Nepean, Ontario
CANADA
K2H 9E1

