FUTURE OF FOX from page 1

the old by simply changing the first

byte of the file header to a new, unused

value.

As for a data dictionary, it could be

partially included as an expanded file

header with a section for field descrip-

tions. However, the most intuitive and

compatible way to create a data dic-

tionary would be to create a system

variable for FoxPro that, if true, would

require the entry of related data into a

dictionary file during Create and

Modhy Structure operations. While the

data dictionary variable is true (Datadic

= .T.) creation of .dbf files via the Copy

command for data and structures

would also copy the data dictionary

files when related dictionary files exist.

If the system variable is set to false the

data dictionary entries would not be

required and thus the ability to do quick

and simple tasks would be retained.

These dictionary files could be named

.dtd (DaTa Dictionary) files.

The three most used types of

software on micro computers are

wordprocessing, spreadsheets and

database management systems. Isug-

gestthata very important future path for

DBMS development is the inclusion of

wordprocessing and spreadsheet

functions. FoxPro is well on its way

toward the first mentioned function with

its internal editor but really needs a way

for the developer to capture and con-

trol keystrokes. Something similar to

the way that Clipper allows this in its

MemoeditO function via a UDF is often

mentioned by other developers I speak

with as a desirable feature for FoxPro.

If you consider one of the principal

aspects of spreadsheets the manipula-

tion of rows and columns of data while

it is retained in memory then the

second function of spreadsheets is not

as well addressed in the current ver-

sion of FoxPro. Neil Weicher publishes

a useful library (d123 from Com-

munications Horizons) that reads and

writes Lotus 123 .wks files and

provides some functionality and 123

command emulation. Similar

functionality in FoxPro would meet

some of the needs I see in the cor-

porate world where users take informa-

tion from databases into spreadsheets

and sometimes back into the

databases.

When these issues have been ad-

dressed and resolved the Dbase lan-

guage developers will be able to com-

pete in the database applications

world not only with the traditional

Dbase strengths of lower development

times and greater simplicity but also

meet the corporate challenges of con-

nectivity, greater

functionality and

commonality of

user interface.

Signed,

Randy Unruh

PRESIDENT’S RPT from page 12

ground shading, and the like, which

Chuck cranked right Out of the Fox. He

also showed us avery interesting database

benchmarking program he has developed

in conjunction with other Macintosh con-

sultants, to test Foxbase/Mac’s perfor-

mance against other Macintosh database

programs and (he hopes!) against FoxPro

as well.

Greg Dunn

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Winston Churchill was reviewing

the corrections made by a staff assis-

tant to the draft of a speech he had

written. The Prime Minister found a

particular sentence, which he con-

sidered perfectly fine, red-lined be-

cause it ended with a preposition. He

lost his patience and furiously penciled

his retort:

"This is the sort of errant pedantry

upwith which I will not put!” he wrote.