PRB: Creator Type Not TEXT with FCREATE If Extension Not .TXT

ID: Q130006

2.60a 3.00b MACINTOSH kbprg kbprb

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Macintosh, version 3.0b
Microsoft FoxPro for Macintosh, version 2.6a

SYMPTOMS

The FCREATE() low level file function is used to create a text file that doesn't have a file extension of .TXT. The Icon for the text file is just a document, not a document with a FoxPro head on it. Get Info on the file shows that it is a FoxPro file however. If the file is opened in a resource editor, such as ResEdit, the Creator is FOXX but the Type is ????.

If the text file is created with a file extension of .TXT, it will have an icon of a document with a FoxPro head on it. A resource editor will show the Type as TEXT.

Customers have reported that not having a Type of TEXT has been known to cause problems with certain software packages that use the text file.

CAUSE

FoxPro for Macintosh looks at file extensions when assigning Creator Types to files. The .TXT extension along with the .FPM extension on the CONFIG.FPM file are the only file extensions that get assigned a Creator Type of TEXT. See page 402 of the Microsoft FoxPro for Macintosh "Developer's Guide" for a listing of File Types and Extensions. If you have Visual FoxPro for Macintosh version 3.0, search for File Extensions in the on-line Help.

WORKAROUND

Create the text file with a .TXT file extension, and then use the RENAME command to change the extension. See the sample code in the "Steps to Reproduce Behavior" section of this article.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

1. Put the following code in a new program file and run it.

   x=FCREATE("test.xxx")
   =FPUTS(x,"Hello")
   =FPUTS(x,"Goodbye")
   =FCLOSE(x)

2. Go to Finder and look at the icon of test.xxx. It should just be a

   document. If a resource editor is available, use it to check the Creator
   and Type of the file. The Type should show up as ????.

3. Put the following code in a new program file and run it.

   x=FCREATE("test.txt")
   =FPUTS(x,"Hello")
   =FPUTS(x,"Goodbye")
   =FCLOSE(x)
   RENAME "test.txt" TO "test.xxx"

4. Go to Finder and look at the icon of test.xxx. It should now be a

   document with a FoxPro head on it. If a resource editor is available,
   use it to check the Creator and Type of the file. The Type should show
   up as TEXT.

Note that the FxSetType() function in the FOXTOOLS.MLB (FOXTOOLS.CFM or FOXTOOLS.SLM with Visual FoxPro for Macintosh) library will not change the creator type to TEXT.

Rebuilding the desktop on the Macintosh should not undo the Type after the file extension is changed with the RENAME command. However, it may be a good idea to avoid doing this until the text file has been used for its purpose.

Additional reference words: vFoxMac 3.00b FoxMac 2.60a KBCategory: kbprg kbprb KBSubcategory: FxprgGeneral

Keywords          : FxprgGeneral 
Version           : 2.60a 3.00b
Platform          : MACINTOSH