Thanks for feedback on VFP6 and JPG.

After reading the several posts, my impression is that some people
experience JPG in VFP6 to be a piece of cake, while others
have experienced considerable problems, sometimes related to an older
machine or video driver; other times related to the type of jpg/bmp
file. And it sounds like bmp is much less problematic. I am aware that
bmp files are MUCH larger than jpg.

Here is my question. This question is based on the fact that my
jeweler boss has no conception or comprehension of any of the
above-mentioned issues. He thinks that EVERYTHING is a piece of
cake, and that computers just "work" and work fine, in a mystical
magical fasion (ha ha).

I know that $280 for a VFP 6 upgrade seems like a trivial amount
to worry about. Its not like running out and buying an NT Server and
installing Oracle on it. But I embark upon this little project
and come to find that the images dont display, he will become enraged
and think that I am trying to play some trick on him (ha ha).

So, my questions are now as follows:

Are there any tools or products I should have to "fine-tune" his images,
assuming that might not be just right for VFP 6 to display correctly?
Or in a worst case scenario, is there some tool to easily convert
jpg to bmp, if it turns out that bmp is the only thing I can get to work?

Also, is there some 3rd party product that I could use from VFP 5 or 6
to display and print the images which is KNOWN to handle all types
of JPG with no problems (perhaps something useable in OLE... sorry
I dont understand much about OLE, except that it is a way to handle
other types of programs, spreadsheets, etc, from inside an application.

If there were a 3rd party product like Espia, which was known
to handle JPG flawlessly, I would lean towards using that,
but I heard that Espia is out of business, although their product
is still being sold at Hallogram. But it makes no sense to
depend on something that is no longer supported.

The computer that the jeweler will be using is a brand new Pentium
machine with Windows 98 from CompUSA, so perhaps it will not
experience the problems related to older machines or inadequate
video drivers.

In the event that I should encounter INSURMOUNTABLE problems displaying
and printing his images with VFP 6, is their some other alternative
that I should consider, which is KNOWN to handle images reliably?
(I mean, should I look into VB and use it with something like
CODEBASE dbf from Sequiter, to at least retain the dbf back end, and
perhaps share dbfs with VFP?).

p.s. - since I mentioned Codebase, I will tack on one curiousity question.
I have often wondered whether any VFP developers have used Codebase
in order to share vfp tables with VB front ends, and whether there
is harmony between such a mixture of VFP and VB?