XBase++

Visual Xbase++ with sample Animals

Xbase++ is an object oriented programming language which has multiple inheritance and polymorphism. It is based on the XBase language dialect and conventions. It is 100% Clipper compatible language supporting multiple inheritance, polymorphism, object oriented programming. It supports the xBase data types, including Codeblocks. With Xbase++ it is possible to generate applications for Windows NT, 95, 98, Me, 2000, XP, VISTA and Windows 7.

Clipper Support

XBase++ supports the old commands @SAY/GET to define data entry forms as well as a graphic editor to create data entry forms similar to Visual FoxPro. It also has a visual development environment, support for OEM files (DOS format) and ANSI (Windows), an integrated debugger and a resource compiler to add icons and graphics to the application. It can generate EXE or DLL files.

RDD

Xbase++ supports the Replaceable Database Drivers (RDD, which provide access to multiple database formats) of Clipper through the DatabaseEngines (DBEs). The basic package includes support for DBF, FOX, NTX, CDX, SDF and DEL(delimited). It also supports CORBA 2.0, Visual FoxPro 3.0 to 5.0 database formats, and access to SQL servers.

Birth

XBase++ was born after the decision of Computer Associates to abandon Clipper to develop Visual Objects. The failure of Visual Objects as Clipper substitute empowered the creation of third party libraries and the creation of Clipper syntax compilers.

Source code example

#include "class.ch"

//
//  This program prints:
//
//  Missy  Meow!
//  Mr. Bojangles  Meow!
//  Lassie  Bark!
//  Press any key to continue...
//

/////////////////////////////
//
PROCEDURE Main()
//
/////////////////////////////

  LOCAL aAnimals := Array(3)
  LOCAL i

  aAnimals[1] :=  Cat():New("Missy")
  aAnimals[2] :=  Cat():New("Mr. Bojangles")
  aAnimals[3] :=  Dog():New("Lassie")

  FOR i:=1 TO LEN(aAnimals)
     ? aAnimals[i]:Name + "  " + aAnimals[i]:Talk()
  NEXT i

  WAIT

RETURN

/////////////////////////////
//
CLASS Animal
//
/////////////////////////////

   EXPORTED:
      VAR Name   READONLY

      METHOD Init
      DEFERRED CLASS METHOD Talk
ENDCLASS

METHOD Animal:Init( cName )
   ::Name := cName
RETURN Self

/////////////////////////////
//
CLASS Dog FROM Animal
//
/////////////////////////////
   EXPORTED:
   METHOD Talk
ENDCLASS

METHOD Dog:Talk()
RETURN "Bark!"

/////////////////////////////
//
CLASS Cat FROM Animal
//
/////////////////////////////
   EXPORTED:
   METHOD Talk
ENDCLASS

METHOD Cat:Talk()
RETURN "Meow!"

External links

• eXpress++ SGL Development system
• Xbase++ web page
• SQLExpress for Xbase++ Object-Oriented ODBC and SQL interface for Xbase++ | www.sqlexpress.net
• Xb2.NET Xbase++ web server & Internet development tool (TCP/IP, HTTP, SOAP, FTP, SSL, XML) | www.xb2.net
• ot4xb Open Source Tools for Xbase++ ( ot4xb.dll ) www.xbwin.com
• The Oasis Clipper, FoxPro and xBase++ community repository
• xBase Dialects
• ODBC DBE
• Diario Clarín Xbase++: a bridge towards Windows
• DS-Datasoft manufacturer of Xbase++ tools for developer: XClass++, AdsClass++, AFX++, Visual DBU
• Top-Down Library, X-DBU, X-Memo, Spell-X Development tools for the Xbase++ Programmer
• SD-SoftDesign Xbase++ Development Tools: Dynamic library, DBA