Date: Thu, 14 Mar 2002 18:08:06 -0500 From: Arnold Bilansky <71533.1031@compuserve.com> Subject: [Foxpro] VFP Mar. 27 meeting and more My personal agenda for our FoxPro User Group meeting night is matzo and wine. Best Passover wishes to the jewish members of our group. For the rest of you we have a newly expanded meeting agenda including a pre-meeting continuing build-a-project session starting at 6pm. Read on for details. -Arnold *** Contents *** *** 1) Wednesday, March 27: 6 - 7 PM Submeeting Agenda "Application Development Strategies" *** *** 2) Wednesday, March 27: 7 - 9 PM Main Meeting Agenda *** *** 3) VFP Programmer Available *** *** 4) BU User Group Training Discount *** *** 5) Discounts for Full InstallShield Solutions *** *** 6) Essential Fox Conference 2002 (An early discount cutoff is today!!) *** --------------------------------------------------- *** 1) Wednesday, March 27: 6 - 7 PM "Application Development Strategies." *** We spend a lot of time at user group meetings discussing the *how* - techniques to manipulate data, generate XML, consume or produce Web Services - and often overlook the *why* - why do we choose this technique over another, why a component design might be superior to a monolithic design, why a particular methodology is preferable. In our early evening sessions (6 PM - 7 PM), join us as we host a roundtable discussion of "Application Development Strategies." This session is not a lecture or presentation as much as it is open discussion, debate and demonstration by participants. The primary goal is that each of us can contribute as well as walk away with better design ideas and day-to-day tactics that we can implement in our own development projects. Initial topics for discussion will be: - Introduction and goals - Choosing a project - Top-down versus Bottom-up development - Suggestions for follow-up The intent is to take on a real-world problem, analyze it, design one or more solutions to the problem, and plan the implementation. Whether the project is actually implemented, or whether the group goes on to examine other design issues, or both, can be determined by the group as it progresses. This promises to be an interesting and informative project for all involved. Hope to see you there! --------------------------------------------------- *** 2) Wednesday, March 27: 7 - 9 PM Main Meeting Agenda *** A) Announcements, announcements B) Ten-minute tricks for anyone who wants to demo Vinnie Brown who has committed to doing a few Tips and Tricks. Do you have quick tips to show too? Bring them along. C) Main presentations by Harry Mentas & Phil Bourgoin Harry Mentas: "Data Driving Business Rules" Harry demonstrates how to table drive simple and complex business rules that can be called from the click of a button or tabbing off of a field on a form. Table driving business rules allows you to add/edit or remove rules by adding , editing or deleting records in a table and potentionally not having to re-compile and re-distribute your application for the rules to take effect. Phil Bourgoin: "Tips and Tricks when using Grids" These are tips that Make things easy for yourself and you users, as well as a few general "VFP Tips and Tricks". Phil covers things like... * How to Accurately, Quickly, and Easily size your grid columns. * Making use of headers to sort in both Ascending and Descending order. * How do you color the little box on the bottom right hand corner of a grid? * Making use of the little button in the upper Left hand corner of a grid. * Using tool tip to display long values in Narrow Columns and TextBoxes. * Show how to Center a checkbox in a grid column. * Easy way to Open the toolbar you want directly form the one that is already open. * How to quickly locate object in object list even if there are hundreds of objects on the form. 9pm - Meeting adjourns --------------------------------------------------- *** 3) VFP Programmer Available *** Usual disclaimer: Job postings and availablity are free and not solicited. Endorsement is never implied.) Regular attendees will recall Ken Murphy from his presentation to the FoxPro User Group on using Satellite Forms to pass Palm O/S data back and forth to VFP. This is a note that Ken is currently in the available to take on new assignments. e-mail: "Kenneth Murphy" cell phone: 781-710-8419. --------------------------------------------------- *** 4) BU User Group Training Discount *** A new program from Boston University for Boston User Groups-affiliated groups. Use this vehicle for a discount at the BU Corporate Ed Center IT and management programs. Just identify yourself to Kelly or Laura in sales as a member of BUG. The discount over the typical rates are meaningful and are open to all members. The programs range form UNIX to Microsoft MCSE to CISCO and more. http://www.bostonusergroups.com/Benefactors/training.htm --------------------------------------------------- *** 5) Discounts for Full InstallShield Solutions *** You can now move from your free, limited-version InstallShield tool provided with Visual FoxPro 7.0 to a full InstallShield solution at a special savings of up to $200. The full version of InstallShield Express includes: customized dialog text, file dependency scanners, One-Click Install web deployment, custom actions, and more. The full version of InstallShield Developer additionally includes new dialogs, patch creation, source code control integration, .NET support, and more. Also available is a free Windows Installer Knowledge Pack filled with tips and articles to help you get the most of these versatile and powerful solutions. The discounts and Knowledge Pack are available at: http://www.installshield.com/ISX/HTML-NL/0202/msdn/microsite -Ken Levy --------------------------------------------------- *** 6) Essential Fox Conference 2002 (An early discount cutoff is today!!) *** Dear FoxPro developer This just in...ALAN COOPER to speak at Essential Fox 2002! Alan Cooper's passion for humanizing technology and his experience as an inventor and software programmer provide the vision and focus for Cooper's wide range of GOAL-DIRECTED® services. Known among the digerati as a leading authority on customer experience, the "father" of Visual Basic, and a longtime champion for the interaction design discipline, Alan is the author of two best-selling books: About Face: The Essentials of User Interface Design, and The Inmates Are Running the Asylum, and is in demand as a speaker on customer-centered issues worldwide. www.cooper.com Other news: 1)Ken Levy (Microsoft Visual FoxPro Product Manager), will deliver the keynote address to kick off the Essential Fox conference. 2)Number of registrations at 200 and counting! Seats remain, but not for long. Tell your friends and colleagues to act NOW! www.essentialfox.com 3)Register by 3/15 and save 100 bucks! Take advantage of the early registration discount and conference packages. http://www.essentialfox.com/rates.htm 4)Whil Hentzen presents Hostile Interface. Back by popular demand, Whil Hentzen's Hostile Interface session! http://www.essentialfox.com/sessions.htm#hentzen 5)Rick Strahl and Markus Egger announce Double Impact tour. http://www.essentialfox.com/workshops.htm 6)Speakers and sessions finalized. The final (or near final) speaker and session lists have been posted. http://www.essentialfox.com/speakers.htm Take advantage of the early registration discount and conference packages. http://www.essentialfox.com/rates.htm ----------------------------------------------------- Go to http://foxcentral.net