>This is a DOS-based application, full of "@ 1,1 SAY" commands and the like, while DB5 is Windows-based, and VFP is where we're aiming.
>
>Do you know how DB5 and VFP9 (or VFP7) interact? My biggest problem with converting slowly to VFP9 has been that I cannot update tables that have been indexed in DB4 without killing the dBase indices.
>
>The big worry is how db5 will respond to a pile of old-style reports (with "@1,1 SAY" commands all through).

Patrick:

There will be no back and forth compatiblity with the indices. I always used standalone index files out of my desire to keep things simple and minimize problems like you mention. Since the index files are never compatible the interactivity between DB5 and VFP is crippled but at least I don't trash the .dbf files with VFP. Due to the nature of my DB5 application if I were to convert to VFP I would have to do it all at once.

As for the reports with @SAY commands. Until the arrival of XP SP2 they worked fine. Then MS did something that caused serious performance problems when the printer in use was networked. Reports that formerly flew now crawled. I had several reports that used @SAY and I converted them all to use report forms. This was for a VFP 7.0 application using reports copied from older DB5 programs (same problem seemed to exist with VFP9). Depending on your environment you may or may not encounter these difficulties. If you don't then you won't have to tamper with the reports for now.

Good luck,

Scott