KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q130345: How to Retreive Database Properties in a Program

Article: Q130345
Product(s): Microsoft FoxPro
Version(s): WINDOWS:3.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 11-FEB-2000

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, version 3.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY
=======

Visual FoxPro introduces several database properties available to databases.
These properties include comments and stored procedures. This article describes
how to determine database properties from a Visual FoxPro program.

MORE INFORMATION
================

The DISPLAY DATABASE and LIST DATABASE commands can view several database
properties at once. These commands can direct output to the console, to a
printer, or to a text file. The example in this article retrieves individual
components of a database.

Comment
-------

A database comment can be obtained by using the DBGETPROP() function. The
following example shows how to return the comment of a database by using
DBGETPROP():

     cResult=DBGETPROP('mydata', 'DATABASE', 'Comment')

The parameters are:

- mydata is the table name.

- DATABASE specifies that the property is a database property.

- Comment is the property desired.

Version
-------

The version number of a database can be obtained by using DBGETPROP() function.
The following example shows how to return the version number of a database by
using DBGETPROP():

     cResult=DBGETPROP('mydata', 'DATABASE', 'Version')

The parameters are:

- mydata is the table name.

- DATABASE specifies that the property is a database property.

- Version is the property desired.

Path
----

The path to the database can be obtained by using the DBC() function. The
following example shows how to return the path of a database by using DBC():

     SET DATABASE TO alldata        &&Assumes a database named "alldata"
     cResult=DBC()

Stored Procedures
-----------------

Stored procedures contained within a database can be obtained by using the
DISPLAY PROCEDURES or COPY PROCEDURES command. There is no way to store the
contents of stored procedures in a memory variable. DISPLAY and COPY PROCEDURES
can both be used to copy stored procedures to a text file or to the printer. The
following example uses COPY PROCEDURES to copy the stored procedures to a file
named STORCODE.TXT:

     OPEN DATABASE alldata
     COPY PROCEDURES TO storcode.txt

Tables
------

A list of tables contained within a database can be obtained by using the DISPLAY
TABLES or LIST TABLES command to display the list to the console, a printer, or
a text file. Here's an example:

     OPEN DATABASE alldata
     LIST TABLES TO FILE tblfile.txt NOCONSOLE

Views
-----

A list of views contained within a database can be obtained by using the DISPLAY
VIEWS or LIST VIEWS command to display the list to the console, a printer, or a
text file. Here's an example:

     OPEN DATABASE alldata
     LIST VIEWS TO FILE viewfile.txt NOCONSOLE

Named Connections
-----------------

A list of named connections contained within a database can be obtained by using
the DISPLAY CONNECTIONS or LIST CONNECTIONS command to display the list to the
console, a printer, or a text file. Here's an example:

     OPEN DATABASE alldata
     LIST CONNECTIONS TO FILE connfile.txt NOCONSOLE

Additional query words: VFoxWin

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbVFPsearch kbAudDeveloper kbVFP300
Version           : WINDOWS:3.0

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.