tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5373564392160793625.post8489881909405009473..comments2021-03-06T13:45:10.234-08:00Comments on DEVELOPERS HELD HOSTAGE: THE VISUAL STUDIO CRISIS: Source Code Doesn't Lie #3 - The Visual Studio Class BrowserMark Gordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06312405857371752407noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5373564392160793625.post-59651632703228368432009-05-04T17:59:00.000-07:002009-05-04T17:59:00.000-07:00One of my major gripes with VS has always been tha...One of my major gripes with VS has always been that I cannot visually subclass anything. After all this product is called "Visual" studio, uses classes for absolutely everything but yet does not give me any tool to design these same classes visually. I have to type code? Please. I used to do that in Assembly language and that was streets faster.<br /><br />Besides I ALWAYS use VCX classes (again I prefer the visual approach) and have had very little if no problem with data corruption using them. I also use SCX classes and absolutely refuse to use a form written in code. I design visually or not at all.<br /><br />Finally someone else with guts to say what has to be said.<br /><br />Good on you Mark. I enjoyed reading these posts.bernardbnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5373564392160793625.post-13671831334509695702009-02-28T15:16:00.000-08:002009-02-28T15:16:00.000-08:00Great job on the Visual Studio vs Visual FoxPro po...Great job on the Visual Studio vs Visual FoxPro posts! I followed your debate with Sam now Rick, I can't say you lack an opinion....Rick's comments trashing Visual FoxPro are disappointing. Rick is aware of FoxPro's benefits over Visual Studio, he's protecting his tool of choice....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5373564392160793625.post-10625818631180668002009-02-28T08:24:00.000-08:002009-02-28T08:24:00.000-08:00Rick,I assume you are the same Rick Strahl from we...Rick,<BR/><BR/>I assume you are the same Rick Strahl from west wind which makes your comments really puzzling.<BR/><BR/>I am well aware of your work and your level of attention to, what some may consider, petty details. Are you saying we should expect less from the Visual Studio development tools and ignore petty details because the tool was developed by microsoft or should we just be cool and spin Visual Studio like good little cheerleaders?<BR/><BR/>So when you shoot me are you going to put Ken Levy on my right or left for developing the class browser and shoot him as well? The developer must be at least as incompentent as the end user. Forgive me for using a standard part of Visual FoxPro, how foolish to assume it actually could be used in a "productive" manner.<BR/><BR/>I believe the Stone Field data toolkit written by Doug Henning and many of the VFP frameworks (both native vfp and 3rd party) all rely very heavily on VCX files. More importantly, I have clients that use your tools, most of the classes are contained in VCX files but you said you never use the VFP class designer. Then you post on your website a blog entry about using the class browser with PRG'S. <BR/><BR/>Let me refresh your memory and quote part of your entry from your website:<BR/><BR/>Wednesday, January 03, 2007, 9:07:00 PM <BR/><BR/>"This isn’t exactly news, but in Visual FoxPro 9.0 - unlike in previous versions - the Class Browser works with PRG classes which is very nice if you have PRG files with complex classes or multiple classes. I’ve known this for some time, but the CB is not exactly obvious to work with and there’s always the document window right?"<BR/><BR/>So I'm confused ?<BR/><BR/>I have used VCX files in all my applications and my experience is data corruption occurs very rarely. When it does happen most of the time it is due to user error deleting a class at the wrong level or a lock up, to reiterate this is rare. <BR/><BR/>Moreover, the form and report designer along with many other areas of VFP store code and meta data in memo fields of dbf files like the VCX'S and I doubt there are developers that hesitate to use the form builder, for example, due to SCX data corruption concerns. <BR/><BR/>I don't mind coding, however I do have a serious problem writing code in Visual Studio that wasn't necessary, in what are considered, "legacy" technologies. I think there are better uses for my clients money then wasting it on improving my typing skills.<BR/><BR/>Is the the VFP class browser perfect of course not. But I do have a newly found appreciation for it after using one that is completely useless in Visual Studio!<BR/><BR/>Was my post a cheap shot, no I really don't think it was. Maybe I'm a demanding user of Visual Studio, but a new technology should at least be as good (ideally better) as the tool it is replacing in "every" aspect including the petty details such as the class browser. <BR/><BR/>At any rate...<BR/><BR/>I'm glad we at least agree, I assume, on your last point.<BR/><BR/>MarkMark Gordonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06312405857371752407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5373564392160793625.post-18828489538159630292009-02-27T22:47:00.000-08:002009-02-27T22:47:00.000-08:00Try and see how well subclassing in the class brow...Try and see how well subclassing in the class browser works in VFP with CODE classes.<BR/><BR/>And you use VCX classes? You should be stood against the wall and shot! Seriously!<BR/><BR/>At least the VS class designer can represent a full class hierarchy unlike the VFP class browser which at best shows one level with links to everything else.<BR/><BR/>There are shortcomings for just about everything and arguing the flaws of the VS class designer in comparison has got to be one of the most petty things every. The VFP class designer is a cruel joke inflicted on VFP developers years ago. So close yet oh so far on what a class browser is supposed to do.<BR/><BR/>FWIW, I've never used the class designer in VS for anything but viewing classes. I never used the VFP class designer either for anything but fixing a problem which incidentally was caused by VFP data file corruption - the number one reason to avoid VCXs like the plague. It's more of a pain in the ass than creating a class - yes even a VCX class. <BR/><BR/>So WTF? You don't like code - maybe you need a different job...<BR/><BR/>There are some good points to be made about shortcomings of visual control design in .NET (like lack of composition inheritance) but this is just a cheap shot and a bad one at that.Rick Strahlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15191427292081443626noreply@blogger.com