FoxPro Functions

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FoxPro Functions
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These utility functions are just designed to do a little task correctly. They really don't need to be functions, but
since I use them all of the time, I thought that they would be better off in a file that I can use with "set
procedure to ... additive".

Files
 Delete a file
 Delete a table
 Quickly alter a Visual FoxPro table into a Fox2x (dBase III) table
Status Display
 Say a message
 Have a "progress meter"
 Conditional "SET TALK OFF" and "SET TALK ON"
Strings
 Random string
 Split a string into an array
 Convert date string into date
SQL Server
 Upload table to SQL Server from FoxPro
Tables
 Close a table
 Open a table
 Build a cursor
 See if a tag exists
 List all tags
 Shrink fields to minimum required length

Files
Here are two functions that delete files. The first deletes a file if it exists. That's nice, since I no longer have to
care if a temporary index file exists or not; I just try to delete it and away I go. The second will delete a table,
the index file, and the memo file if they exist.
* Delete a file if it exists.
function DeleteFile
lparameter m.fn
if file(m.fn) then
delete file (m.fn)
return 1
endif
return 0
endfunc

Returns 1 if file deleted, 0 if not found

* Deletes a table, index, and memo files if they exist

* Pass in the BASENAME only, do not pass in ".dbf" on the file name
function DeleteTable
lparameter m.fn
DeleteFile(m.fn + ".dbf")
DeleteFile(m.fn + ".cdx")
DeleteFile(m.fn + ".fpt")
endfunc

If you work in a mixed environment, where some of your tools read and write Visual FoxPro tables and others
only read and write the older style (fox2x / dBase III), this function will work wonderfully for you. Just don't use
it on a database that has a memo field.
The function does its job by changing the first byte in the file to 0x03, which designates that the file is a dbase
III table. Use of this function on Access databases, text files, or anything else will likely corrupt the data a bit.
* Converts a file from Visual FoxPro to a fox2x / dBase III table
* Do not use it if the table has a memo field!
* Returns .T. on success, .F. on error
function fox2x
lparam m.filename
local m.hndl, m.bbyte

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m.hndl = fopen(m.filename, 2)
if m.hndl <= 0
wait "ERROR: Could not open file " + allt(m.filename)
return .F.
endif
=fseek(m.hndl, 0, 0)
m.bbyte = fread(m.hndl, 1)
if m.bbyte != chr(3)
=fseek(m.hndl, 0, 0)
=fwrite(m.hndl, chr(3))
endif
=fclose(m.hndl)
return .T.
endfunc

Status
When I write long programs, I like to know what they are doing and how soon I can expect when they finish.
This first function, Say(), will write a message to the console and potentially append a line to the specified
logfile. That way, you can keep track of where you were even if your computer locks up.
The next three functions are for when you are iterating through a table. Before your scan or do while loop,
call ProgressStart(). Then, with every iteration through your records, call ProgressMeter(). When you are
done, ProgressStop(). The ProgressMeter() function will only update once a second, making sure your
program doesn't slow down. It also estimates the amount of time left, so you are always "in the know."
function Say
lparameters m.Message, m.LogFile
local m.writeStr, m.logFp
m.writeStr = '[' + transform(datetime()) + ']

' + m.Message

if type('m.LogFile') == 'C'
m.logFp = fopen(m.LogFile, 12) && Try to open the file
if m.logFp == -1
m.logFp = FCreate(m.LogFile) && Try to create it
else
fseek(m.logFp, 0, 2) && Go to the end of the file
endif
if m.logFp >= 0 && If no error, write to file
=fputs(m.logFp, m.writeStr)
endif
=fclose(m.logFp)
endif
? m.writeStr
endfunc

function ProgressStart
public m.ProgressLastUpdate
public m.ProgressFirstTime
m.ProgressLastUpdate = int(seconds())
m.ProgressFirstTime = seconds()
wait "Working: " + allt(str(recno())) + "/" + allt(str(reccount())) + "
allt(str(100 * recno() / reccount(), 10, 1)) + "%" window nowait
endfunc

" + ;

function ProgressMeter
lparam m.recno
public m.ProgressLastUpdate
public m.ProgressFirstTime
local m.mesg, m.timediff
if m.ProgressLastUpdate == int(seconds())
return
endif
m.ProgressLastUpdate = int(seconds())
m.timediff = int(((seconds() - ProgressFirstTime) / recno()) * (reccount() - recno()))
m.mesg = ':' + padl(allt(str(mod(m.timediff, 60))), 2, '0')
m.timediff = int(m.timediff / 60)
if (m.timediff >= 60) then
m.mesg = ':' + padl(allt(str(mod(m.timediff, 60))), 2, '0') + m.mesg

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m.timediff = int(m.timediff / 60)

endif
m.mesg = allt(str(m.timediff)) + m.mesg
if type('m.recno') != 'N'
m.recno = recno()
endif
m.mesg = "Working: " + allt(str(m.recno)) + "/" + allt(str(reccount())) + "
allt(str(100 * m.recno / reccount(), 10, 1)) + "% ETA: " + m.mesg

" + ;

wait m.mesg window nowait

endfunc

function ProgressStop
wait clear
endfunc

I find it annoying to have to "SET TALK ON", "SET TALK OFF", "SET TALK ON", etc. I also find it irritating that
I need to sometimes check the status of TALK, then possibly turn it off and process and turn it back on. These
two functions will help you out. Do not call Hush() again until after you call UnHush() the functions won't
work well that way.
* Equivalent to a "SET TALK OFF"
function Hush
public m.UnHushTalkOn
if sys(103) = "ON"
set talk off
m.UnHushTalkOn = .T.
endif
endfunc

* Checks if TALK used to be ON.

function UnHush
public m.UnHushTalkOn

If so, turns it back on

if type('m.UnHushTalkOn') = 'L'
if m.UnHushTalkOn == .T.
m.UnHushTalkOn = .F.
set talk on
endif
release m.UnHushTalkOn
endif
endfunc

Strings
Ever need to generate a random ID? Try this code out.
* Initialize the random number generator
rand(-1)
*
?
?
?

Print a random string.

RandomString(10) && 10 letters long, 0-9 and A-Z
RandomString(32, '0123456789ABCDEF') && 32 long, hexadecimal characters
RandomString(8, '01') && Looks like a byte in binary

function RandomString
parameters m.n, m.letters
m.q = ""
if type('m.letters') != 'C' or len(m.letters) == 0
m.letters = "0123456789ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ"
endif
do while len(m.q) < m.n
m.q = m.q + substr(m.letters, int(rand() * len(m.letters)) + 1, 1)
enddo
return m.q
endfunc

I felt saddened that FoxPro didn't have a built-in split() or explode() function to turn a string into an array.
Since I wrote this function, I am sad no longer!

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* First, declare an array

dimension m.arr(1)
* Now split a string on spaces
split(' ', 'Break this up into individual words.', @m.arr)
function Split
lparam m.delim, m.str, m.arr
local m.i, m.c, m.pos
* Count the delimeters in the string to make the array the right size
m.c = 1
do while at(m.delim, m.str, m.c) != 0
m.c = m.c + 1
enddo
dimension m.arr(m.c)
for m.i = 1 to m.c
m.pos = at(m.delim, m.str)
if m.pos == 0
m.pos = len(m.str) + 1
endif
m.arr(m.i) = substr(m.str, 1, m.pos - 1)
m.str = substr(m.str, m.pos + len(m.delim), len(m.str))
next
return m.arr
endfunc

If you looked at dtos(), you will realize that there is no opposite! There is no stod() and from what I can tell,
there is no easy transform() to convert it back into a date. The function below is the opposite of dtos().
* The opposite of dtos(m.date) or dtoc(m.date, 1)
function stod
lparam m.c
local m.d, m.m, m.y
m.c = allt(m.c)
if type('m.c') != 'C' or len(m.c) != 8
return {//}
endif
m.d = val(right(m.c, 2))
m.m = val(substr(m.c, 5, 2))
m.y = val(left(m.c, 4))
if m.d < 1 or m.m < 1 or m.y < 100
return {//}
endif
return date(m.y, m.m, m.d)
endfunc

SQL Server
Upload Fox to SQL Server - Creates a table and copies the data to SQL Server via an ODBC connection. It
is slightly slower than BCP, but it massages the data better, especially if your table is giving you problems.
upload_fox_to_sql.prg

Tables
Sometimes, I write code that could close a table in one instance and will keep it open in another. I wrote a
function to close a table by name if it is open. At other times, I will want to open a table with a specific name
when I already have one open. In this instance, let's close the old one and open the new one.
* Closes a table if it is open
function CloseTable
lparameter m.Name
if used(m.Name) then
use in (m.Name)
endif

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endfunc
* Opens a table (potentially closing one with the same name)
* Opens exclusively if you like
function OpenTable
lparameters m.fn, m.name, m.ex
CloseTable(m.name)
if (m.ex) then
use (m.fn) in 0 alias (m.name) excl
else
use (m.fn) in 0 alias (m.name) shar
endif
endfunc

One thing you can do if your data set is really large is to break it into sections. Then, you just run your "select *
from TABLE into cursor NAME" repeatedly and append the results into a writeable cursor. This is also great if
you need to change the default read-only cursor into a read-write cursor.
scan for ...
* The "NOFILTER" is mandatory for build_cursor()
select * from TABLE where ... into cursor temp nofilter
build_cursor('everything', 'temp')
use in temp
endscan
* Now you have all of the records in the cursor "everything"
* Turn a read-only cursor into a read-write cursor
select * from TABLE into cursor ReadOnly nofilter
build_cursor('ReadWrite', 'ReadOnly')
* Create a writeable cursor or append to a cursor
function build_cursor
lparameters m.dest, m.src
local m.orig_alias, m.build_tmp
m.build_tmp = sys(2015)
m.orig_alias = alias()
if ! used(m.dest)
select * from alias(m.src) where .F. into cursor (m.build_tmp) nofilter
use dbf(m.build_tmp) again in 0 alias (m.dest) excl
use in (m.build_tmp)
endif
select (m.dest)
append from dbf(m.src)
if ! empty(m.orig_alias)
select (m.orig_alias)
endif
endfunc

Can't remember if you added that tag to the table? Need to reindex table "B" with the same indexes as table
"A"?
use SOME_TABLE
if ! TagExists('itemNo')
index on itemno tag itemno
endif
* Copy "index on ..." statements to clipboard
use THE_TABLE
ListIndexes()
* Returns .T. if the named tag exists in the currently open table
function TagExists
lparam m.nam
local m.i, m.tnam
m.nam = allt(upper(m.nam))
m.i = 1
m.tnam = tag(m.i)
do while len(m.tnam) > 0
if (m.nam == m.tnam and m.tnam == m.nam)
return .T.

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endif
m.i = m.i + 1
m.tnam = tag(m.i)
enddo
return .F.
endfunc
* Displays a list of "index on ..." statements that were used
* to build all of the indexes on the current table. Also copies
* them to the clipboard so you can paste them into whatever you like.
function ListIndexes
m.taglist = ""
for i = 1 to tagcount()
m.singletag = "index on " + sys(14, i) + " tag " + tag(i)
m.taglist = m.taglist + m.singletag + chr(13) + chr(10)
next
? m.taglist
_CLIPTEXT = m.taglist
? "Index dump done - copied to clipboard"
endfunc

If you have a table with character fields that is taking up a lot of space, you can shrink the character fields to
be just the size of the longest field with shrink_fields.prg. It only works with character fields, but can easily be
extended to work with other types, such as numeric fields.
A crocodile can't stick out its tongue.

http://rumkin.com/software/foxpro/functions.php

Tyler Akins < fidian@rumkin.com

Contact Me -

16/07/2014