>George,
>
>You have got to be KIDDING me!!! An API guide designed for VFP developer's would sweep through the VFP community like a prarie fire.
>
>Take a poll on the UT, talk to Hentzen at DevCon, I'll bet everyone says the same thing. I can approach Hentzen via e-mail if you like, but I would not want to even begin to commit you to something you don't feel you have the time to do -- and it would take a lot of time. But, boy would it be worth it!!
>
>By the way, I do give up, but it's pretty rare, especially when I am convinced that something really needs to be done. You are certainly the guy to do this, and it really needs to be done.

Jim,

Let me make a confession to you and everyone else here on the UT. I'm no expert on the API. The best way to explain this is to relate the how's and why's of what I do know.

First, I'm not a C/C++ programmer. All of the work that I've done in that environment has been based on things like MS KB articles and so on. I do know the language well enough to be able to read it and understand it. My knowledge of data types, structures and pointer concepts come from the fact that I use to work (and studied in college) Pascal.

Second, and perhaps more importantly, what I do know I've either picked up from someone else or their work, or have researched something because someone, either here or privately, asked me a question. The other people I've picked things up from include David Frankenbach, Ed Rauh, Rick Strahl, and Vlad Tatavu to mention just a few. They've given me a lot of direction in this area. However, equally important, in my mind, are the questions. For example, I recently posted a dialer class. Did I know how to do it before the question came up? Nope, but I did some research and figured it out (there was a KB article on the subject that gave me a head start).

If, however, I were to write a book on the subject, it would have to include a considerable section on how Windows works. In many ways, this is more important than the information on the various functions. I contend, and I know that there are many who agree with me, that understanding, in at least an abstract fashion, what's going on "under the hood" is extremely helpful in the design and implementation of VFP applications. It has saved me a considerable amount of time in the problem solving area.

So that it. Maybe I will start something. It is, however, a huge topic and one that is not easily handled.

Regards,