BUG: Support Library Creates Files with Creator of FOXX

• Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Macintosh, version 3.0b

SYMPTOMS

Files created from Visual FoxPro's Support Libraries will have a creator of FOXX, rather than the library's signature FOXL or FOXS. This problem will occur with every file created from the library and with commands such as PACK that create and rename temporary files. This problem will also affect how documents are associated with their creator's icon and launching behavior via the document.

CAUSE

This is a limitation of Visual FoxPro and the Visual FoxPro support libraries. Although the libraries will operate with a custom creator, icons, and signature, they do not stamp the files created with the creator. The creator "FOXX" will be stamped on all created files, regardless of the library's creator or signature.

WORKAROUND

• Use the FoxTools function, fxSetType(), or a third-party utility, such as ResEdit or File Buddy, to restore the desired creator;

  -or-

• Create an ALSM or CFM library to create files with the correct creator, or alter the creator of created files;

  -or-

• For use on partitions that do not have any version of FoxPro installed, change the library's creator and signature to FOXX.

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

The Visual FoxPro libraries have different signatures to facilitate their coexistence on the same volume as the development environment and to handle executables properly. Below is a table of applications and their corresponding signatures.

   Application                   Signature
   --------------------------    ---------
   Microsoft Visual FoxPro       FOXX
   VFP Support Library PPC       FOXL
   VFP Support Library 68K       FOXS

Steps to Reproduce Problem

Take the following PRG and build it to a PowerMac and 68K Executable. Copy the Executable and the appropriate library to a new folder.

Macintosh alerts will display the creator and type of a DBF after creation, custom stamping, and a subsequent PACK. The following example should illustrate the problem and give some code examples to implement a workaround in code:

   CREA TABLE Fruit ( cID C(2), cKind C(10) ) && Create a new table
   cID = "AP"
   cKind = "Apple"
   INSERT INTO Fruit FROM MEMVAR

   cID = "OR"
   cKind = "Orange"
   INSERT INTO Fruit FROM MEMVAR

   cID = "CH"
   cKind = "Cherry"
   INSERT INTO Fruit FROM MEMVAR

   cTable = SYS( 2027, DBF() ) && Mac Path version of the table path
   USE

   SET LIBRARY TO HOME() + "FOXTOOLS.CFM"

   * ShowInfo is a simple function below to display the current
   *    creator and type.
   cFileType=SHOWINFO('Original', cTable)

   * Set the Creator
   cFileType = cFileType && Same as before
   cFileCreator = 'ZZZZ' && Custom creator or FOXL/FOXS for PPC/68K
   =FxSetType( cTable, cFileType, cFileCreator)

   cFileType=SHOWINFO('Stamped', cTable)

   USE (cTable)
   GO TOP
   DELETE
   PACK
   USE

   cFileType=SHOWINFO('PACKed', cTable)

   * Unload the library
   SET LIBRARY TO

   PROCEDURE showInfo
     LPARAMETER cMessage, cTable

     * What creator does the file have
     STORE "" to cFileType, cFileCreator
     =FxFileType( cTable, @cFileType, @cFileCreator )

     nIconNumber = 2       && Note icon
     nResourceNumber = 257 && Continue button
     nHorizontal = -1      && Default position
     nVertical = -1      && Default position
     cText1 = cMessage + " " + cTable  + CHR(13)
     cText2 = "Creator = '" + cFileType + "'  Type = '"  + ;
          cFileCreator + "'"
     =FxAlert( nIconNumber, nResourceNumber, nHorizontal, nVertical, ;
          cText1,  cText2 )

     RETURN cFileType