We have now finished another project which takes about 50 different update files (mainly VFP data files stored in ZIP files and which we produce each day) and processes them into the new WinDev HyperFile database that we are using. These update files can contain from just a few records up to 0.5 million records depending on the data type. Not all 50 files are produced each day – usually a mixture.

My findings are that the performance of the WinDev application is at least equal to the VFP version, if not a little faster. Also, during testing / debugging where the test application crashes often we have not hit a single database corruption issue, not one. I will try doing an update and actually killing the exe via task manager or do a test under a virtual machine and simulate switching it off when I get the time - I'm sure that will corrupt something but I am curious to see how WinDev will handle it - something to do another day.

I find that WinDev HyperFile index files are much larger than VFP CDX files. I understand that WinDev builds in a lot or extra space for future record additions so not sure if that is the main cause but they are about 2 or 3 times larger. The database also has various functions you can call / access to calculate statistics, optimize the indexes, etc.

I also wanted to add that PC Soft advertise “develop 10 times faster” – well that might be so if you come from a truly unfriendly development IDE or complex development environment. I don’t think a VFP developer will be ten times faster. But I do think between 2 and 4 times faster. The two main reasons for this, imo, is (1) the very helpful development environment which handles so much for you including the powerful code editor, database manager and intellisense, and (2) the extensive range of functions built into WinDev which you can just call to achieve some desired result.