BUG: dBASE .FMT with "colo" in Message Migrates Erroneously

• Microsoft FoxPro for Windows, versions 2.6 and 2.6a
• Microsoft FoxPro for MS-DOS, versions 2.6 and 2.6a

SYMPTOMS

When converting a dBASE IV Form Code File (.FMT) that contains a "colo" text string in the Message clause of a GET field to FoxPro .SCX format, the following behavior occurs:

• In FoxPro for MS-DOS, when you edit the converted file, FoxPro terminates with a general protection (GP) fault.
• In FoxPro for Windows the .FMT file can be edited and generated into a .SPR but "colo" is interpreted as COLOR clause and is converted as such. This will produce the following error message when the converted screen is Run:

                    Program Error
         Unrecognized phrase/Keyword in command
  
  

CAUSE

If the Text String of a Message clause for a GET field in the .FMT file contains "colo," then during conversion FoxPro falsely interprets it as COLOR clause and modifies it as following:

• All the text before "colo" is assigned to the MESSAGE clause without an UnQuote.
• The text "colo" along with the character immediately following "colo" is converted to the word COLOR.
• The next eight characters are erroneously associated to the created COLOR clause and the rest of the text is ignored.

   "@ 2,10 GET Address PICTURE "@S68 XXXX" ;
   MESSAGE "Use semicolons for carriage returns"

   @ ...... GET ADDRESS.......PICTURE "XXXX";
   MESSAGE "Use semi ;
   COLOR or carri

RESOLUTION

Here are three possible workarounds:

• Do not use "colo" as part of the Message clause text for a GET field in the dBASE .FMT file. If you have to use it, add it after the .FMT file is converted to the FoxPro format.

  -or-

• In FoxPro for Windows, generate a .SPR file. Then edit it by using the "MODIFY COMMAND|FILE" command to modify the MESSAGE and the COLOR clauses for the GET field changed by the conversion.

  -or-

• In FoxPro for MS-DOS, call GENSCRN.PRG directly to generate a .SPR file for the .SCX file, created when the dBASE IV .FMT file was converted. For more information about how to do this, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  ARTICLE-ID: Q96290

     TITLE     : Generating Screen Code by Directly Calling GENSCRN.PRG
  
     Once the .SPR file is created, edit it by using the MODIFY COMMAND|FILE
     command to modify the MESSAGE and the COLOR clauses for the GET field
     changed by the conversion.
  
  

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

To see the result of this problem:

• Look at the .SPR file generated for the converted .FMT file.
• Open the .SCX file, created by the conversion process for the .FMT file, as a Table. Then look at the "Message" and "Colorpair" fields of the record that contains information for the Get field (Objtype=15 and Expr="Address").

Steps to Reproduce Problem

1. Create a dBASE IV FORM that contains a GET field that uses the following text for the Message clause:

         Use semicolons for carriage returns.
   

   If you do not have dBASE IV, create a text file containing code similar to the following code, and save it with a .FMT extension:

         @ 2,10 GET Address PICTURE "@S68 XXXX" ;
         MESSAGE "Use semicolons for carriage returns"
   

2. Start FoxPro for MS-DOS, and follow these steps:

   a. Choose the "Convert dBASE files..." option from the RUN menu.

   b. If the .FMT file created in step 1 is not displayed in the Select box

         of the Convert Files dialog, use the Directory push button to find
         the file.
   

   c. Select one of the .FMT files. Then choose the Process push button.

   d. Once the .FMT file is converted and a .SCX file is created, close the

         Convert Files dialog.
   

   e. Use the "Modify Screen..." command to EDIT the .SCX file you created.

   a. Choose the "Convert dBASE files..." option from the RUN menu.

   b. If the .FMT file created in step 1 is not displayed in the Select box
      of the Convert Files dialog, use the Directory push button to find
      the file.

   c. Select one of the .FMT files. Then choose the Process push button.

   d. Once the .FMT file is converted and a .SCX file is created, close the
      Convert Files dialog.

   e. Use the "Modify Screen..." command to edit the .SCX file you created.
      When the FoxPro Transport dialog comes up, choose the Transport and
      Open push button with Transport Objects From set to FoxPro for
      MS-DOS/UNIX.

   f. Generate the screen to create a .SPR file.

   g. Run the Generated screen.