How FoxPro Runs MS-DOS-Based Applications and Files

WINDOWS          | MS-DOS                | MACINTOSH

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft FoxPro for Windows, versions 2.5, 2.5a, and 2.5b
• Microsoft FoxPro for MS-DOS, versions 2.0, 2.5, 2.5a, and 2.5b
• Microsoft FoxPro for Macintosh, version 2.5b

There are several differences between character mode (MS-DOS and UNIX) and graphical (Windows and Macintosh) environments. FoxPro takes care of these differences behind the scenes.

Fonts

MS-DOS uses a mono-spaced font based on the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) character set and Windows uses an ANSI character set with fonts that are often proportionally spaced. FoxPro for Windows includes a special font, FoxFont, which mimics the MS-DOS OEM character set. FoxFont is automatically used when an MS-DOS application is run in FoxPro for Windows.

One Line High Controls

FoxPro for MS-DOS controls do not match the size of FoxPro for Windows controls. In many cases, MS-DOS controls are one line high. When an MS-DOS application is run in FoxPro for Windows, a special one line high control is used to match the one line high control in MS-DOS.

MS-DOS buttons running in Windows will look different than buttons in an application that has been Transported into FoxPro for Windows.

Half Height Title Bars

All user-defined windows created in FoxPro for Windows are given a title bar if they include any of the following clauses: TITLE, FLOAT, ZOOM, MINIMIZE, or CLOSE. The same is not true of FoxPro for MS-DOS user-defined windows. To reduce the visual differences between applications in the two environments, a half height title bar is used for user-defined windows unless the SYSTEM key word is included or the windows are created with the FONT clause.

Box Positioning

Boxes are drawn using the box drawing characters in the FoxFont character set instead of the Windows box drawing routines.

Centered Popup Labels

Popups in FoxPro for MS-DOS are three lines high and in FoxPro for Windows are approximately one-and-one-half lines high. FoxPro for Windows automatically centers the popup in the three lines when you run a FoxPro for MS-DOS application.

REFERENCES

FoxPro for MS-DOS "Update" manual, version 2.5, pages 3-10, 3-11 FoxPro for Windows "Developers Guide," version 2.5, chapter 20, page D20-4.

(c) Microsoft Corporation 1997, All Rights Reserved. Contributions by Perry Newton, Microsoft Corporation