PRB: Cannot Use Macro Substitution in Remote Views

• Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, version 3.0

SYMPTOMS

you can't use macro substitution within a remote view. This means that the following code is invalid:

   whereclause = "authors.au_lname = 'RINGER'"

   CREATE SQL VIEW test REMOTE CONNECT myconnect AS ;
     SELECT * FROM authors WHERE &whereclause

RESOLUTION

To limit the result set of a view, consider using View Parameters. For information about view parameters, please see the "Creating Multi-Table Views" chapter of the Visual FoxPro "Developers Guide," under the heading "Limiting the Scope of a View."

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

When Visual FoxPro creates a remote or a local view, the SQL SELECT statement for the view is stored as a static string in the .dbc file. The .dbc file also stores the column definitions for the result set and other properties.

The next time the view is opened, the entire SQL String is passed to the remote data source. Because a remote data source does not process Macro Substitution, Visual FoxPro cannot pass the macro to the server. However, you can use View Parameters to create the same effect as in this example:

   parameter = "Ringer"

   CREATE SQL VIEW test REMOTE CONNECT myconnect AS ;
      SELECT * FROM authors WHERE authors.au_lname = ?parameter