I've recently transferred to Windows XP Pro on a new system and wish to run
FoxPro v2 (DOS).

However, there's a problem with running 'Foxapp' that converts screen
layouts data entry applications, where I now get a 'C:\mydir\db is an
invalid path' error.

Filenames conform to DOS 8.3 style and this error was not evident under
Win98SE. The WinXP start-up is emulating Windows 98, with the command line:

C:\FOXPRO2\FOXPRO.EXE -x -cC:\FOXPRO2\Config.FP

and working directory:

C:\mydir\db

The details for the two main configuration files are below. Any suggestions
would be much appreciated.

Regards,

Dave.


C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG.NT contents (extract):

dos=high, umb
device=%SystemRoot%\system32\himem.sys
FILES=99
BUFFERS=35
device=%SystemRoot%\system32\drivers\hpscan16.sys


C:\Foxpro2\CONFIG.FP contents:

BRSTATUS=ON
CARRY=ON
CENTURY=ON
COLOR SET=DP
COMPATIBLE=OFF
CURRENCY="œ"
DATE=BRITISH
EMS64=OFF
HEADING=OFF
MACKEY=OFF
NOTIFY=OFF
RESOURCE=C:\FOXPRO2\FOXUSER
SCOREBOARD=ON
STATUS=ON

David,
Did you copy over the FoxUser.DBF (&.FPT)? Or did you allow it to create a new one? The CONFIG.FP doesn't have an explicit TMPFILES= entry - it maybe be trying to use your Enviroment variable TEMP or TMP, and these might not be 8.3 compatible.

Rick

"David Purdy" <Nospam (AT) here (DOT) co.uk> wrote

"Rick Bean" <rgbean (AT) NOSPAMmelange-inc (DOT) com> wrote

David,
Did you copy over the FoxUser.DBF (&.FPT)? Or did you allow it to create a
new one? The CONFIG.FP doesn't have an explicit TMPFILES= entry - it maybe
be trying to use your Enviroment variable TEMP or TMP, and these might not
be 8.3 compatible.

Rick - many thanks. I've just deleted the Foxuser files, to create
replacements, but the problem still persists.

Regards,

Dave.

This appears to be the code snippet within Foxapp that generates the
"C:\mydir\db is an invalid path." message

FUNCTION _18p0xdovw && generate VALID [from Screen APPSCX/APPSCX.SPR]

CASE !FILE(addbs(justpath(m.appfile))+'NUL')
WAIT WINDOW justpath(m.appfile)+" is an invalid path." NOWAIT
valid_name = .F.

This step is simply determining the name and directory of the output .APP
file: and 'C:\mydir\db' under Win98 did not cause this error message, but
WinXP does.

Regards,

Dave.

Undocumented Functions In fpath.plb
http://www.hop.man.ac.uk/staff/mpitc...pro/fpath.html

addbs(expC)
Description: Add Back Slash - Appends the back slash character to the string
in expC if it does not already have one.

justdrive(expC)
Description: Just Drive - Returns the drive in the format d: from a full
pathed string.

David,
OK, I understand. The NUL file in the directory trick is one that depends on DOS. Because XP, NT, 2000 and 2003 OSs aren't based on DOS this isn't a valid technique. (Note: It also wouldn't work if the file server OS was UNIX, Linux, Novell, etc.)
IF you change the check to:
CASE adir(xx, addbs(justpath(m.appfile)),"D") < 1

it should work.

Note: xx is an array that you should release if it is created, and you may have to change xx to something unique for your application.

Rick

"David Purdy" <Nospam (AT) here (DOT) co.uk> wrote

Rick,

Many thanks, again, ...

"IF you change the check to:
CASE adir(xx, addbs(justpath(m.appfile)),"D") < 1

it should work."

A slight snag is that the problematic/amended line is in Foxapp's APPSCX.SPR
("generated by GENSCRN"), and despite some rebuilding I cannot get it to
appear in the final Foxapp.APP

If anyone can recall how the process works and knows the answer, then I'd be
delighted to hear from them !

Regards,

Dave.

David,
Sorry, I don't have that part of FP 2.0 installed (or available), and that code doesn't appear to be in the FPD 2.5 or 2.6 versions.

If you want to send those files to me, I'll give it a look to see if I can change it. (If you delete the NOSPAM from my included email address it should get to me. Note: It's best to ZIP up the files, Outlook thinks ..SCX files are a Script file and keeps them quarantined!)

You may want to include the whole FOXAPP directory - I'm not sure where the problem may lie.

Rick

"David Purdy" <Nospam (AT) here (DOT) co.uk> wrote

David,

how often do you rebuild the app ?
If the answer is "never", you might save some hunting in
the screen generator sources or "power tools files"
by just patching the app.

You could create a file "N.L" in every directory which gets checked
in this manner and overwrite all "NUL" occurences
(Which should be the same 3 Chars in the app/exe as well)
with "N.L", and the filecheck would work.

You would have to document the need for the file(s),
and writing the patch program should the easiest task...

If you still rebuild the app: argue for slightly less arcane tools...

my 0.02 EUR

thomas

"Thomas Ganss" <TGanss_RemoveForRealAdress (AT) T-Online (DOT) de> wrote

Thomas - many thanks for the suggestion. I'll try it.

Regards,

Dave.