>>advances since their major upgrade 3 yeares ago (PB 6?). Another place where VFP beats them is support for both remote data and local tables and views with the ability to transparently [to the user] switch between the types.
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>>Actually, in my opinion, the PB DataWindow is as powerful, if not more so than the VFP views... DataWindows go further by defining, not just the SQL but also the Visual aspects of the data retrieved.
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>I do not understand what you mean by the Visual aspects of the data retrieved.

Well... when you create a DataWindow in PB, there are two aspects to it. One is the server side on is the client side. On the 'server side' you define the SQL with a query builder, or you can type SQL. On the client side, you define how to present that data... sort of like a combo between a form and report designer. You can create calculated fields that are evaluated on the client side, column labels, etc.

>>In addition to the DataWindows... another very powerfull feature of PB is the meta data that PB adds to every database when you access that data with PB.
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>I use SDT, so I have meta data on local tables and views as well as remote views and all the documentation features. What about OOP and inheritance? Still looks like the same PB as 3 years ago except for meta data which SDT has been doing for years at a more affordable cost including the cost of VFP.
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SDT is a great product, but it still isn't integrated with VFP unless you write code in an ap... Sure, you can write a grid class that will look at SDT to determin what control to put in the column... PB does that internally.

PB OOp model looks the same as VFP to me... as a matter of fact there are some things PB has that would be nice in VFP. Structures, Class Scoped variables, and some other things I can't rember right now. All windows events are supported. Also, there are several ways to call an event too... Also, you actually FIRE an event in PB, not just call the code!

Also, the PowerBuilder foundation class is really cool... very powerfull based on several messaging objects... cool stuff.

>My biggest gripe is with the VFP View designer. :)
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>I do know PB is definitely a solid product, but what it all comes down to, ultimately, is what we know and what we have become comfortable with using.

I have worked with both, and see strengths an weeknesses in both... but, for a Client/SErver two tier ap I would choose PB before VB.

I felt the same about PowerBuilder as you did, until I went to a week of Fast Track to PowerBuilder and learned about it... it is an extreemly powerfull, OOP Based, Client Server development environment.

BOb