Visual Basic versus Visual FoxPro key feature comparison
We are looking for a development platform FOR OUR MISSION-CRITICAL APPLICATIONS and are comparing Visual Basic and Visual FoxPro. (Previous question: https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/20311707/Visual-FoxPro-vs-Visual-Basic-as-development-environments-and-tools.html)
We are aware that the installed base/available add-ins to VB are exponentially greater than VFP, and that the available programming pool is much greater as well, and that VFP has been rumored every year for many years to be going away in the next 18 months – no need to address these areas.
We are aware that VFP has an in-product report writer, but that is not a concern since there are many third-party report writers. Also, for example, the wizards or direct creation tools to create forms and procedures seem very similar.
1. Are there any SIGNIFICANT PROGRAMMING FEATURE DIFFERENCES between VB and VFP?
2. Is how you DEVELOP AND SUPPORT AN APPLICATION SUITE basically the same between the two products?
3. What are the KEY DEVELOPMENT FEATURE DIFFERENCES between VB and VFP?
4. Are there any other KEY TECHNICAL PRODUCT DIFFERENCES that distinguish the products from one another?
This question has been reposted to focus more clearly on SIGNIFICANT PROGRAMMING FEATURE DIFFERENCES, KEY DEVELOPMENT FEATURE DIFFERENCES and other KEY TECHNICAL PRODUCT DIFFERENCES.
We are aware that the installed base/available add-ins to VB are exponentially greater than VFP, and that the available programming pool is much greater as well, and that VFP has been rumored every year for many years to be going away in the next 18 months – no need to address these areas.
We are aware that VFP has an in-product report writer, but that is not a concern since there are many third-party report writers. Also, for example, the wizards or direct creation tools to create forms and procedures seem very similar.
1. Are there any SIGNIFICANT PROGRAMMING FEATURE DIFFERENCES between VB and VFP?
2. Is how you DEVELOP AND SUPPORT AN APPLICATION SUITE basically the same between the two products?
3. What are the KEY DEVELOPMENT FEATURE DIFFERENCES between VB and VFP?
4. Are there any other KEY TECHNICAL PRODUCT DIFFERENCES that distinguish the products from one another?
This question has been reposted to focus more clearly on SIGNIFICANT PROGRAMMING FEATURE DIFFERENCES, KEY DEVELOPMENT FEATURE DIFFERENCES and other KEY TECHNICAL PRODUCT DIFFERENCES.
Hello
VFP is database development tool only, but using VB you could develop Database applications and others
but both tools will go out to date soon, MS stop developing VFP and replace VB with VB.Net which it is new language
Consider using Delphi, it's one of the best RAD tools to develop application under windows, and Linux also, and have more features with the database than VB, also faster than VFP and VB, Nasa choosed it to develop it's applications
Best regards
VFP is database development tool only, but using VB you could develop Database applications and others
but both tools will go out to date soon, MS stop developing VFP and replace VB with VB.Net which it is new language
Consider using Delphi, it's one of the best RAD tools to develop application under windows, and Linux also, and have more features with the database than VB, also faster than VFP and VB, Nasa choosed it to develop it's applications
Best regards
Hi,
While programming for .net looks good in that it can significantly reduce the lines of code that you need to write, obviously it has a much large amount of code behind getting the whole thing working. It reduces your bug count at the expense of MS's bug count.
But in writing to the CLI or run-time, are there performance peneltys that wouldn't occur if writing in C++ & Delphi?
Regards
David
While programming for .net looks good in that it can significantly reduce the lines of code that you need to write, obviously it has a much large amount of code behind getting the whole thing working. It reduces your bug count at the expense of MS's bug count.
But in writing to the CLI or run-time, are there performance peneltys that wouldn't occur if writing in C++ & Delphi?
Regards
David
ASKER
Our choices are limited to VB or VFB due to our (PURCHASED) core software, which we want to extend in the same development environment the package is written in. In any case, responses limited to VB and VFB are appreciated.
"Our choices are limited to VB or VFB due to our (PURCHASED) core software"
Read as, somebody already screwed up, lol.
Read as, somebody already screwed up, lol.
ASKER
Certainly anyone who disagrees with Yoda needs more work with their spiritual practices.
ASKER
Doesn't VB use the Jet Database Engine as a default, and VFP use it's own? Isn't the Jet Database Engine problematic? I have heard the Navy, Nasa, US Army and other government institutions use VFP as their database management application designer. Comments?
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Microsoft commented about VFP, at about this time last year:
"Microsoft is committed to improving the Visual FoxPro product beyond version 7.0 and to continuing to serve the needs of FoxPro developers worldwide. Future versions of the product will directly address the most popular customer requests, as well as support enhancements coming in future versions of the Microsoft Windows operating system and Microsoft Office."
- http://msdn.microsoft.com/vfoxpro/prodinfo/vfp7.asp
"Microsoft is committed to improving the Visual FoxPro product beyond version 7.0 and to continuing to serve the needs of FoxPro developers worldwide. Future versions of the product will directly address the most popular customer requests, as well as support enhancements coming in future versions of the Microsoft Windows operating system and Microsoft Office."
- http://msdn.microsoft.com/vfoxpro/prodinfo/vfp7.asp
--------------------------
From: http://groups.google.com/groups?q=visual+basic+group:relcom.comp.dbms.foxpro&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&scoring=d&selm=koey6.2236%24u5.867063%40news.uswest.net&rnum=4
--------------------------
"Microsoft has been making a very big deal about .Net as the strategy for Microsoft. And how they are creating a common language interface (CLI). CLI is supposed to be a way for Microsoft to provide a common way to execute strategic computer languages like C# and Visual Basic. Microsoft has even welcomed a third party company developing Perl tools for .Net.
"a.. Xbase is not a CLI language.
"b.. VFP7 is not architected to be part of .Net.
"c.. VFP not part of future of Visual Studio .Net
--------------------------
from http://www.openitx.com/archives/archives.asp?i=9751
--------------------------
"I used Visual Foxpro to build a data warehouse / decision support systems. ( 150 GB, half a billion records,100+ users, subsecond response time.) On single CPU workstations you can not get anything like VFP for a few hundred dollars. It was always faster than SQL server.
"The Access developers in the company were very jealous since they couldn't even get close.
"Access is very far from this performance, even MS doesn't recommend it anymore for database development."
From: http://groups.google.com/groups?q=visual+basic+group:relcom.comp.dbms.foxpro&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&scoring=d&selm=koey6.2236%24u5.867063%40news.uswest.net&rnum=4
--------------------------
"Microsoft has been making a very big deal about .Net as the strategy for Microsoft. And how they are creating a common language interface (CLI). CLI is supposed to be a way for Microsoft to provide a common way to execute strategic computer languages like C# and Visual Basic. Microsoft has even welcomed a third party company developing Perl tools for .Net.
"a.. Xbase is not a CLI language.
"b.. VFP7 is not architected to be part of .Net.
"c.. VFP not part of future of Visual Studio .Net
--------------------------
from http://www.openitx.com/archives/archives.asp?i=9751
--------------------------
"I used Visual Foxpro to build a data warehouse / decision support systems. ( 150 GB, half a billion records,100+ users, subsecond response time.) On single CPU workstations you can not get anything like VFP for a few hundred dollars. It was always faster than SQL server.
"The Access developers in the company were very jealous since they couldn't even get close.
"Access is very far from this performance, even MS doesn't recommend it anymore for database development."
Another comment from the web:
"VFP is very good with regard to speed and other performance.
"If you will choose VB as your front end you have great advantage to compile reporting tools, mail sending programs etc to your application without much programming complication."
"VFP is very good with regard to speed and other performance.
"If you will choose VB as your front end you have great advantage to compile reporting tools, mail sending programs etc to your application without much programming complication."
Hello
esc_toe_account, NASA using Delphi as the database Development tool, you can see that here
http://www.borland.com/products/case_studies/delphi_nasa.html
soon or later, if you will VFP or VB you will convert your code from them to other tools, cuz they will die soon
if you are still forced to use Microsoft products, use VB.Net or C#, both the new languages from Microsoft
esc_toe_account, NASA using Delphi as the database Development tool, you can see that here
http://www.borland.com/products/case_studies/delphi_nasa.html
soon or later, if you will VFP or VB you will convert your code from them to other tools, cuz they will die soon
if you are still forced to use Microsoft products, use VB.Net or C#, both the new languages from Microsoft
ASKER
The link is over 8 years old .. not a clear assurance that the NASA Aerospace Information Database is still using Delphi. See Below
------From the site-------
Tool used
Delphi Client/Server
Other tools evaluated
ProtoView, ProtoGen, Symantec Enterprise Developer, Visual Basic, PowerBuilder
Development time:
The whole project, including planning time, took 3.5 years. The bulk of design and development was completed in 18 months.
Deployment date:
March, 1996
------From the site-------
Tool used
Delphi Client/Server
Other tools evaluated
ProtoView, ProtoGen, Symantec Enterprise Developer, Visual Basic, PowerBuilder
Development time:
The whole project, including planning time, took 3.5 years. The bulk of design and development was completed in 18 months.
Deployment date:
March, 1996
As far as I'm concerned VFP is a tool that is already creating legacy code / apps.
If you must choose one of these two, use VB, though as stated abaove, you may find that you have to port your code to a more viable language eventually.
If you must choose one of these two, use VB, though as stated abaove, you may find that you have to port your code to a more viable language eventually.
ASKER
If only we all had the Wisdom of Yoda.
ASKER
More about this question has been posted at:
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/20313890/How-much-of-this-is-still-true-about-VB.html
(200 Points)
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/20313890/How-much-of-this-is-still-true-about-VB.html
(200 Points)
Wow, sarcastic, neat......
So what did you end up going with??
My take on the matter...
#1 and #2 are not arguements for either language.
#3 is not really relevant to VFP as a programming language. VB is obviously not a language/db hybrid and I don't consider that a negative. One could argue then that MSDE is better than Foxpro if used on the desktop and it's free. VFP 8 is even going to ship with it.
#4 Yup I agree.
#5 Said another way. Not all ActiveX controls that are compatible with VB, can be used with VFP. This is a negative for VFP.
#6 News to me.
#7 Need some examples. I thumbed through the VFP Launguage Reference and was not astonished at the plethora of string handling functions I found.
#8 The report writer that comes with VB 6 does indeed suck.
#9 VB can do all of this. I don't regard the fact that if one language can do it natively as a positive if the components to do this are free and readily available.
#10 I have not dreamt about this sorry.
Assume we are comparing VB 6.0 with VFP 6.0 and not VB.Net with VFP 7.0...then a couple of things need mentioning.
- VFP is not a strongly typed language which I consider a negative.
- You can not create ActiveX controls in VFP 6.0
- VB has intellisense (sp?), VFP does not.
My take on the matter...
#1 and #2 are not arguements for either language.
#3 is not really relevant to VFP as a programming language. VB is obviously not a language/db hybrid and I don't consider that a negative. One could argue then that MSDE is better than Foxpro if used on the desktop and it's free. VFP 8 is even going to ship with it.
#4 Yup I agree.
#5 Said another way. Not all ActiveX controls that are compatible with VB, can be used with VFP. This is a negative for VFP.
#6 News to me.
#7 Need some examples. I thumbed through the VFP Launguage Reference and was not astonished at the plethora of string handling functions I found.
#8 The report writer that comes with VB 6 does indeed suck.
#9 VB can do all of this. I don't regard the fact that if one language can do it natively as a positive if the components to do this are free and readily available.
#10 I have not dreamt about this sorry.
Assume we are comparing VB 6.0 with VFP 6.0 and not VB.Net with VFP 7.0...then a couple of things need mentioning.
- VFP is not a strongly typed language which I consider a negative.
- You can not create ActiveX controls in VFP 6.0
- VB has intellisense (sp?), VFP does not.
You should be going down a path that looks more like C++, C#, Delphi...