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From: glenn@welch.jhu.edu (Glenn M. Mason)
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: FoxPro 2.0 Compiler/Library Construction toolkits
Message-ID: <1991Jun14.205523.11825@welch.jhu.edu>
Date: 14 Jun 91 20:55:23 GMT
Organization: Welch Medical Library, Baltimore Md.
Lines: 43


Does anyone have any detailed info on the capability to link external 'C'
code to FoxPro 2.0 executables? I have heard that you need two additional
toolkits along with the standard FoxPro 2.0 package, the Compiler/Distribu-
tion toolkit and the Library Construction toolkit, listing for $500 each. 
I also hear that the Library Construction kit included a limited version of
the Watcom C compiler that only produces object files (since that is all
FoxPro will need) ... and that *no other* C compilers are supported! So
if I want to do some serious development using these tools, I am forced to
spend $$$ on yet another C compiler? I am using Microsoft C 6.0a and Borland
C 2.0 and Borland C++ ... and I am going to buy another C compiler to develop
FoxPro compatible object code?? Can anyone confirm any of this? 

At first I was wondering why do I have to buy a compiler kit AND a library
construction kit? What is a Library construction kit?? I could be wrong, but
it appears to me that they are selling the Watcom compiler + some other
trivial code (that could have been included within the compiler kit) and
selling it for $500 ... and you cannot create objects to be linked in with
Fox 2.0 without this stuff. I would have figured that if someone wants to
sell a package that will allow linkage between itself and external C code
that compatibility with at least the Microsoft compiler would be supported,
since that is probably the most widely used PC C compiler. If Fox was just
out to make more $$$, I think they should have just made one compiler kit,
compatible with other compilers, and listed it for $1000 rather than make
you purchase both kits and force you to use Watcom. I was interested in
switching from using Paradox to Fox to get the capability to create
executables and link in external 'C' code. I would have to learn another
database language, development environment, tools, etc. I think it would
be worth the time, but now I have to also learn the intricacies of the
Watcom compiler + any associated tools? I am already comfortable the the
integrated developments, make utilities, etc. of the other 'C' development
packages that I am using now. Now I am unsure whether it is worth it to
move to Fox.

Have these items shipped yet? Anyone using these tools have any comments?


Glenn
-- 
Glenn M. Mason, Senior Research Programmer/Analyst
Laboratory for Applied Research in Academic Information
William H. Welch Medical Library, The Johns Hopkins University
uucp: ...!uunet!welch!glenn			 (301)955-9658