How to Create a Field List Interactively in FoxPro for Windows

• Microsoft FoxPro for Windows, version 2.6a

SUMMARY

While the FoxPro interface offers a number of dialog boxes presenting a list of fields from which sets can be chosen, the Browse menu options do not permit fields to be specified. However, it is possible to construct a Browse statement in the Command window that contains a list of fields picked through the user interface, without resorting to programming.

NOTE: The following workaround is not available from Catalog Manager.

MORE INFORMATION

The Browse option is available from either of the following menu locations:

• On the Database menu, click Browse.

  -or-

• On the Window menu click Work Area View and then Browse.

To specify which fields are to be viewed in a Browse, you must issue the BROWSE command from the Command window. Unfortunately, interactively specifying more than a dozen or so fields in the Command window is a tedious and time-consuming process. Also, you must re-enter the entire command if:

• The completed command is not saved in a program file before you exit from FoxPro.

  -or-

• You need to display different fields.

  -or-

• The resource file is not enabled.

Steps to Create the Browse Field List Interactively

1. Ensure that both the Command window and the database are open.

2. On the Database menu, click Append From.

3. In the From field, enter a non-existing filename (such as 'ZZZ').

4. Click the Fields button, and choose the fields you want.

5. Leave the File Type selected at the default: Table (DBF).

6. Optionally, select any desired Criteria, such as For.

7. Once all clauses have been specified, choose Append.

8. Press any key when you see the error "File 'zzz.dbf' does not exist." This is a harmless error that you can ignore.

9. In the Command window, select APPEND FROM ZZZ, type BROWSE, and then Return.