>Hello All:
>
>I have a new client with whom I was specifying a system utilising native VFP tables. The client has now installed Windows small business server and the vendor has sold them the merits of the included SQL server. Now the client wants me to use SQL server for the new VFP application. I have no experience with SQL server, except some superficial bits of data access via remote views. Beyond that, nothing!
>
>The client has no onsite DBA or anything, they are as new to SQL server administration as me. If there is no need to create SPs at this stage (I don't know T-SQL), do you think it is possible to build this application and learn as I go? Is MS SQL server self-administering or do you have to constantly attend to it? Can its log file take care of itself? If I created tables in a database in my own copy of SQL server, once done or complete, does SQL server allow you to "pick up" the database from one SQL server and install it on another?
>
>Any practical advice/guidance would be very appreciated.
>
>Thank you!
>
Angie,

I won't try to be comprehensive but I will address a view points that you seem to have questions about.

First, while it's pretty good at "taking care of itself", you (or the client) will need to learn administration of it. The Enterprise Manager provdes a graphical front end.

T-SQL isn't that hard to pick up, especially if you've experience with VFP SQL Commands. There are some differences (especially before VFP 8), but I don't consider them overwhelming.

Interacting with SQL server tables isn't all that different than buffered VFP tables, especially if you use remote views. However, and this only applies to 8.0, Cursor Adapters would be a better way to go.

Importing data or exporting it, is fairly simple and straight forward in the Enterprise Manager.