>>I am about to embark on a project for a client - creating a CD-ROM product that will use the same VFP database we use to publish a book of financial data for several thousand companies. The basic idea is to create a small VFP app that will allow the user to search the database and view, print, or output as files data about the companies in the book. I do not see this as an extremely complex app, and I am giving thought to exploring some of the VFP query builder products now on the market.
>>
>>I am posting this message to see if anyone on UT has had experience with using VFP as part of CD-ROM-based product.
>>
>>-- I assume that the user would install the search app on his/her hard drive from the CD-ROM. The data tables could remain on the CD. Has anyone ever tried running a VFP app off a CD-ROM?
>>-- Any suggestions on setting up the files on the CD? Is there any reason not to just treat the CD-ROM as normal hard drive directories?
>>-- Any "gotchas" I should be aware of?
>>-- Has anyone had experience - good or bad - with VFP query builders? (The goal here is to allow the user to limit the list of firms based on criteria he/she enters.)
>>
>>Any thoughts, experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
>
>Running from a CD should be no problem. The analogy here is it is a *read-only server drive*. As long as the VFP app is designed to store the data path to a user table (or some other method of easily configuring for the location), the VFP app can use that info to locate and open the DB.
>
>I like Stonefield's query tool. It's reliable and has a nice user interface.

We do exactly what Mark said. The app is installed on the client machine along with a one row table that contains the path to the CD. Works great! However, keep in mind that anybody with VFP will be able to open your tables. Unless you get an encryption tool, don't put any confidential or sensitive data on the CD!

HTH