PRB: FoxPro and Mac Lock with ODBC

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Macintosh, version 3.0b
• Microsoft FoxPro for Macintosh, version 2.6a on the following platforms: Macintosh, Power PC

SYMPTOMS

When returning a result set of more than four records from SQL Server running on Windows NT 4.0 with an ODBC data source using the AppleTalk protocol, FoxPro for the Macintosh locks up.

RESOLUTION

Use the TCP/IP protocol for the data source if possible. It should be faster also.

STATUS

Microsoft is researching this behavior and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

The same code that locks up FoxPro when querying SQL Server when SQL Server is on a Windows NT 4.0 Server runs fine against SQL Server on a Windows NT 3.51 Server.

The following steps to reproduce the problem assume working knowledge of Visual FoxPro for Macintosh, setting up ODBC data sources on the Macintosh, and SQL Server running on Windows NT. Security considerations are ignored. See the administrator of the Windows NT computer for security information.

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

1. Set up an ODBC data source on the Macintosh using the ODBC Setup PPC control panel. Make sure the Network Library is set to AppleTalk and the default Database Name is pubs(in the Options button).

2. SQL Server should be set up on a Windows NT 4.0 Server. It should have the Apple Talk ADSP network protocol installed. The SQL Server's setup will also likely have the Named Pipes and TCP/IP Sockets network protocols installed also.

3. In the Visual FoxPro Command window, issue the following commands:

         ? SQLCONNECT()    && choose the ODBC data source from step #1
         *           the number 1 should appear on the FoxPro desktop
         ? SQLEXEC(1,"SELECT * FROM Authors")  && this should lockup the Mac
   
   

4. Try the above using an ODBC data source set to use the TCP/IP Network Library (if your network supports this protocol). If SQL Server is available on a Windows NT 3.51 Server, try the above steps with that. In both cases, 23 records should be returned assuming the sample Pubs!Authors table in SQL Server has not been modified.