BUG: SET COMPATIBLE or Catalog Manager Changes MEMOWIDTH to 80

• Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, versions 3.0, 3.0b, 5.0, 5.0a
• Microsoft FoxPro for Windows, versions 2.6, 2.6a
• Microsoft FoxPro for MS-DOS, versions 2.6, 2.6a

SYMPTOMS

The value returned by SET('MEMOWIDTH') changes from 50 to 80 when FoxPro executes the SET COMPATIBLE DB4 or SET COMPATIBLE ON command.

CAUSE

The SET COMPATIBLE DB4 and SET COMPATIBLE ON commands will change the default value of MEMOWIDTH from 50 to 80. However, the command SET COMPATIBLE OFF does not restore MEMOWIDTH to its original value of 50. This problem will therefore occur when the SET COMPATIBLE DB4 or SET COMPATIBLE ON command is issued.

This problem also occurs when a program is executed through the Catalog Manager and the dBASE Program check box is selected. When the Catalog Manager executes a program as a dBASE program, it issues a SET COMPATIBLE ON command, which causes the value of MEMOWIDTH to change from 50 to 80 as described above.

RESOLUTION

To restore MEMOWIDTH to the default value of 50, issue the following command after the SET COMPATIBLE DB4 or SET COMPATIBLE ON command has been executed:

   SET MEMOWIDTH TO 50

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

1. In the Command window, issue this command:

         ? SET('MEMOWIDTH')
   

   Note that the value 50 is returned.

2. In the Command window, issue these commands:

         SET COMPATIBLE ON
         ? SET('MEMOWIDTH')
   

   Note that the value 80 is returned.

3. In the Command window, issue these commands:

         SET COMPATIBLE OFF
         ? SET('MEMOWIDTH')