PRB: EVALUATE() and Exponentiation Cause Error Message

• Microsoft FoxPro Distribution Kit for MS-DOS, version 2.6

SYMPTOMS

When placed in a stand-alone executable (.EXE) file, the EVALUATE() function in combination with the exponentiation symbol (^) causes a "Feature Not Available" error message.

CAUSE

The problem seems to lie in the Distribution Kit compiler. The library file code bundled within the stand-alone executable file does not contain the proper code to execute the EVALUATE() function in conjunction with the exponentiation.

RESOLUTION

There are four ways to work around this problem:

• Create a compact executable file.

  -or-

• Compile the project as an application file and execute it under the development version of FoxPro.

  -or-

• Compile the following code example in a stand-alone executable file under FoxPro 2.6:

         x=4
         IF .f.
         x=x^4
         ENDIF
         a="(x-2)^4"
        ? EVALUATE(a)
         WAIT WINDOW
  

  -or-

• Upgrade to FoxPro 2.6a and the FoxPro 2.6a Distribution Kit. Create a project and add PROWORDS.FXD as a file. (PROWORDS.FXD is located in the root directory of FoxPro.)

  NOTE: The addition of PROWORDS.FXD causes FoxPro to report an error during the compilation of the executable file. This error is not significant. Simply ignore the error to complete the creation of the stand-alone executable file.

MORE INFORMATION

To duplicate the problem, create a program file with the following code:

   x=5
   a="(x-2)^4"
   =EVALUATE(a)
   WAIT WINDOW