Creating FoxPro for Windows Apps Using FoxPro for MS-DOS

• Microsoft FoxPro for Windows, versions 2.5 and 2.5a
• Microsoft FoxPro for MS-DOS, versions 2.5 and 2.5a

Applications created with FoxPro for MS-DOS can be executed by FoxPro for Windows without making any changes. The FoxPro for MS-DOS power tools (Project Manager, Screen Builder, Menu Builder, RQBE, Report Writer, and Label Writer), however, do not support features that are specific to the Windows environment.

It is possible to "hand code" these capabilities, but we do not recommend this approach to cross-platform application development. Hand coding the FoxPro code generated by a power tool defeats the point of using a power tool, since the power tool can no longer be used for maintenance or other changes. In other words, changes made to the FoxPro code cannot be loaded back into the power tool.

For example, the Screen Builder generates an .SPR file that contains FoxPro code. If you make a change in the Screen Builder, then regenerate the screen, a new .SPR file is written that contains the changes. However, if you make changes directly to the .SPR file, there is no way to load those changes back into the Screen Builder.