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SQL Server 2008 R2 and Web Reporting

5/17/2011 12:21:32 PM

JimDenny

2 posts

www.ptb.state.il.us

SQL Server 2008 R2 and Web Reporting

We are porting our VFP app to ASP.NET and SQL Server. We are interested in the web reporting capability. I have used Foxfire in the past and was very happy with it. And I had heard Foxfire works with SQL Server, but I find no hits when I search your site for SQL Server. I am assuming since it works with MySQL that it will work with SQL Server 2008 R2. Will the wizards work with a SQL database, and how difficult is it to set up on a 64 bit web server? And finally, since M$ has ceased support of VFP, how does this effect the future of the product?

5/18/2011 9:29:32 AM

AndrewM

149 posts

www.aksel.com

Re: SQL Server 2008 R2 and Web Reporting

Hi Jim,

The Wizards work very well with SQL Server as with ODBC data sources.

The Web version uses the same foundation as the Desktop version; however, the version is a full ASP.Net application that interacts with a COM DLL. A Service runs in the background to generate the reports that are in the Report Queue. This service can be run on any machine - it doesn't have to be the server. Both would need access to the data and to the same Foxfire! directory. In production, a developer could build reports in the desktop edition of Foxfire! and they would be accessible to users on the web and vice versa.

On your final question, the future of Foxfire! is very bright. As noted above, our Web version brings the ease of use attitude to reporting that Foxfire! did with DOS and Windows before it. Some customers have expressed some concerns about the use of DBF files - we are moving to a database-agnostic solution where the actual report definitions mirror their XML Export forms so the data can reside in either a FoxPro DBF or a SQL database or whereever. The Foxfire! object architecture allows individual pieces of the Foxfire! suite to be migrated to other environments and one of the first will be the Administrator tools which are being revised into a variety of components, including a .Net application for those clients who would prefer to use that tool to perform updates. Microsoft's support has never been a major issue with Foxfire! - the FoxPro product has been the foundation of the application and for the immediate future, it will continue to be, although various aspects of the interface will move to new environments, much like our web version. As we move forward, our focus is on building the best reporting environment on both the desktop, the web and soon, on mobile devices as well.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Thanks!

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