October meeting - 26 Oct 2005 - 6:30pm

See you at 6:30pm this Wednesday 26 October 2005 at Microsoft headquarters in Sydney.
See David Bower presenting on Data shadowing in VFP, and then Paul Tikotin discussing VFP9 reporting.

Free pizza and drink provided (as usual).
www.svfpug.com.au

Sydney VFP User Group this Wendesday

Our postponed meeting from September is on this Wednesday 5 October at 6:30pm.
Note: we have changed the venue for this meeting only.
This meeting we are at the Talman office at Lane Cove. Details are on the UG web site
www.svfpug.com.au
3 great talks, free pizza, plenty of parking, see you there.

Fantastic meeting earlier tonight

What a fantastic meeting we had tonight.
So much content we went an hour over time!
Each month this user group keeps getting better.
A big thank you to Ekasenna Tjhauw, John Burrows and Paul Hemans for their excellent presentations.
Congratulations to Castro for winning this month's really cool prize

August meeting - 31 Aug 2005 - 6:30pm

This month we have another fantastic line up:

1. Paul Hemans on Using VFP with PDAs

2. Ekasenna Tjhauw on calling VFP COM objects from SQL Server

3. John Burrows on calling VFP COM objects from Crystal Reports

Plus a really cool prize

See our main page for other notices and links including jobs and past presentations

Updated VFP and WMP presentation

I’ve updated the presentation to work with VFP8 on one of the samples

This shows how to overcome the resize issue

http://www.svfpug.com.au/assets/2005Jul/WMP/Help/index.htm 

In particular this topic

http://www.svfpug.com.au/assets/2005Jul/WMP/Help/index.htm?page=_1KV0RC7FM.htm

Code is here

http://www.svfpug.com.au/assets/2005Jul/WMP/Code/VFPWMP.zip

Solution Explorer presentation

Here's a link to Scott's presentation on Solution Explorer
http://www.svfpug.com.au/assets/2005Jul/SolutionExplorer/Solution%20Explorer%20Project.ppt

Great prize at next month's meeting

In addition to all the other great reasons to attend Sydney VFP UG we have a great prize next month.

It is a fully hooded navy blue long sleeve fleecy jacket.

http://www.svfpug.com.au

 

UG site updates

Thanks to Michael, Scott and everyone who came along last night - it was huge return to proper form. The buzz is building again which is great

We've got our next two months of presentations all organised and they look great
http://www.svfpug.com.au/Timetable.htm

The site has links to presentations (eg Ken's Senda video and my WMP presentation)
http://www.svfpug.com.au

See you next month for another 3 great presentations

VFP Resources

A list of resources for VFP users is here. If you are an old hand at VFP you'll no doubt know about these - but if you are new to the community these may be a great help:
http://craigbailey.blogspot.com/2005/07/vfp-resources.html

RSS feed for this blog

For those who want to subscribe to this blog the atom feed is:
http://svfpug.blogspot.com/atom.xml

27 July 2005 meeting details posted

Don't miss our next meeting on 27 July 2005 - it's gonna be big (3 speakers talking on Cursor Adaptors, Solutions explorer and Windows Media player, plus more)
Details of topics on the SVFPUG site
Also I'll be telling you about our plans to start an Aussie VFP Podcast show, similar to Andrew MacNeill's fantastic show here

Note, we are having a break from the webcast format - this meeting will be only for Sydney members (sorry to our remote members who will be disappointed by this - but we felt that the technology issues were getting in the way - we'll try the webcast thing again later this year)

VFP UG on tomorrow night

Just a reminder that the Sydney VFP UG meets tomorrow night.
If you can't be there in person then why don't you try joining us via webcast.
Details of how to join the webcst are here
http://svfpug.blogspot.com/2005/03/ug-webcast-details-for-25-may-2005.html

Be there by 6:30pm for pizza.

Andrew Coates and Doug Henry presenting.
Details at www.svfpug.com.au

Binding to System events in VFP9

Scott Scovell's presentation from the March 2005 UG is available here
http://www.svfpug.com.au/assets/2005Mar/Scott%20Scovell%20-%20Binding%20to%20Windows%20Message%20events.zip

This was an excellent presentation, and the zip file includes example code and a full whitepaper.

Webcast guidelines

Here's my first attempt at some guidelines to make the user group experience better:

1. If you are not presenting, mute your phone
Use the mute button or *6
This will remove almost all the static and interference we were getting at the last meeting
The only reason you'll need to come off mute is too ask a question, or if you are presenting. Possibly if we wanted to check all are receiving loud and clear, but this can also be done via the Live Meeting interface.

2. If you are presenting, you are in control until you hand over to the next presenter
If you are presenting you are responsible for handling questions, wrapping up ontime, etc.
Make sure you keep an eye on the Live Meeting question box.
Then hand over to the next presenter, with a simple 'Now I'll hand over to...' and then mute your phone
This will avoid those awkward silences when we don't know who is doing what.

3. Make use of the Live meeting question box.
Instead of coming off mute and interrupting during a presentation, enter your question in the Live meeting box. Presenters will need to ensure they keep an eye on this and if the don't intend to answer it until later, they should still acknowledge it so that the question raiser doesn't feel they need to repeat it.

4. Get online early if possible
Live Meeting 'announces' people as they join (not sure if we can turn this off) which is kinds distracting.
It also announces people as they leave, so if you could stay online until the end that would be good.

5. If you are presenting, make sure any materials are loaded ready for you to start immediately control is handed over to you.

This will make for a very smooth, clear UG meeting.

Any other ideas? Please let me know.

Thanks

Visual FoxPro training

Does anyone provide Visual FoxPro training in Sydney?

I received a call from Jyotsna (pronounced 'Joshna') who is looking for VFP training. She is moving from 2.6 to VFP and would like some help. She's read books and online articles but is really after an intensive course.

If anyone knows of some training options or would be prepared to provide training on a contract basis please contact her at
samjyo@yahoo.com or on 02 9672 4423

UG webcast details for 27 April 2005

April details

You have been invited to a Microsoft Office Live Meeting.
Meeting Title: VFP User Group
When: Wednesday, 27 April 2005 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Audio Information: http://blogs.msdn.com/acoat/articles/395020.aspx
PIN: 444127
VOIP may also be available for attendees

At the time of the meeting, click on the following link to attend: http://www.placeware.com/rm/microsoft/attend?id=acoat123218&pw=078982
If you cannot click the meeting link above, or it does not work, please do the following: Browse to: http://www.placeware.com/rm/microsoft/attend

Type your name
Type the Meeting ID as: acoat123218
Type the Password as: 078982

UG webcast details for 25 May 2005

May UG webcast login

Here’s the attendee information for the MAY VFP user group

You have been invited to a Microsoft Office Live Meeting.
Meeting Title: VFP User Group Presentation
When: Wednesday, 25 May 2005 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Audio Information: +61 2 9870 2922
PIN: 444127
Alternative Dial-in numbers below
The session may also have VOIP available for attendees

At the time of the meeting, click on the following link to attend: http://www.placeware.com/rm/microsoft/attend?id=acoat618298&pw=767417

If you cannot click the meeting link above, or it does not work, please do the following: Browse to: http://www.placeware.com/rm/microsoft/attend
Type your name
Type the Meeting ID as: acoat618298
Type the Password as: 767417

Australia, Adelaide
+61 8 8217 7432

Australia, Brisbane
+61 7 3218 7022

Australia, Canberra
+61 2 6122 4672

Australia, Melbourne
+61 3 9286 3225

Australia, Perth
+61 8 9420 8419

Australia, Sydney
+61 2 9870 2922

New Zealand, Auckland
+64 9 357 5566

New Zealand, Wellington
+64 4 474 7656

UG webcast details for 30 March 2005

Here is the webcast login information

https://livemeeting.microsoft.com/rm/microsoft/join?id=acoat420218&role=attend&pw=735406

Sydney VFP UG survey results

Here's a summary of your replies to the UG survey:

Topics
1. Should our presentations be predominantly VFP only?
(ie exclude topics on SQL Server, interacting with Office etc)
You said:
In general yes, these days we use VFP with a variety of other tools, so it is important we know about them and how to use them effectively
However, we are a VFP UG, so we should focus on the strengths of VFP

2. Do you want to see topics that deal with web development using VFP?
(eg West-Wind and others)
You said:
Yes

3. Do you want to see topics on 3rd party tools?
(eg Stonefield Query, XFRX, FoxFire, Frameworks, HTML Help Builder etc)
You said:
In general yes, but only for around 25% time max of UG meetings. It is important that they don't turn into sales presentations and may be best presented as a comparison of features

4. Are you interested in topics covering VFP and .Net?
You said:
Yes, but only if it is useful to our development (ie not just for the sake of discussing .net)

5. Are you interested in topics that cover VFP and Linux?
You said:
In general no

Involvement
6. Would you like to be a UG presenter?
Thank you to those who offered to present

7. If yes, is there a particular topic you would like to present on?
There are some interesting suggestions for topics coming through, many thanks, these include:
- More on CursorAdaptors
- Windows Messaging Events (BINDEVENTS)
- Using PDAs and Fox
- Using C++ in Fox
- Using web browser control for rich UI's
- VFP COM and .Net or VFP COM Forms as Application servers
- Implementing good design
- More on using Geographic data
- Microsoft Empower program

Format
8. Is the 6:30-8:30pm slot ideal for you?
(Some other UGs go for 3 hours+)
Most said this was ideal, a few were happy to go for longer

9. Do you like joining with the Melbourne group or would you prefer to be separate?
Most people like the idea of the combined group as it leads to greater variety of presenters and knowledge. However, most found the technology too distracting and would thus prefer to be separate. So there are actually two issues here.
I will discuss this with Microsoft. Also, some training on presenting may be appropriate.
I feel this is important because some of our members are unable to physically attend (eg our friends out at the CSIRO).

Other thoughts:
Here's some extra suggestions from people for the UG(s)
- Social functions
- Some nights dedicated to development, others to tools, the attendence numbers may be a helpful guide to future meeting topics
- Sydney vs Melbourne UG code challenge:
Two open source projects that run for 4-6 months where members of both UG's collaborate to produce the best solution to a given problem. An independent judge determines a winner and source code made available to both UG's. Fame and fortune to the winning UG.
- please provide automatic reminder notifications of UG meetings the day before

- Did you know the Singapore Foxies are possibly dialing into our UG webcast?


Many thanks,
Craig

UG homepage updated

I've updated the homepage and added a few more links to VFP related sites

Sydney VFP UG survey

I'm starting to plan out the year for the UG meetings.

If you've got a few spare minutes I'd appreciate your thoughts on the following questions. Drop me an email with your responses to cb@talman.com.au

Topics
1. Should our presentations be predominantly VFP only?
(ie exclude topics on SQL Server, interacting with Office etc)

2. Do you want to see topics that deal with web development using VFP?
(eg West-Wind and others)

3. Do you want to see topics on 3rd party tools?
(eg Stonefield Query, XFRX, FoxFire, Frameworks, HTML Help Builder etc)

4. Are you interested in topics covering VFP and .Net?

5. Are you interested in topics that cover VFP and Linux?


Involvement
6. Would you like to be a UG presenter?

7. If yes, is there a particular topic you would like to present on?


Format
8. Is the 6:30-8:30pm slot ideal for you?
(Some other UGs go for 3 hours+)

9. Do you like joining with the Melbourne group or would you prefer to be separate?

Sydney VFP UG meeting postponed until March

Hi everyone,
I'm very sorry to inform you that UG is postponed for this month.
I had originally planned to resume the meeting this Wednesday (23 March) but due to my late return from OS and a stack of distractions I haven't been able to organise a proper set of presentations for the meeting.
I considered resuming with a 'lite' meeting but then thought better of it. Your time is valuable, so I'd rather make sure the user meeting is a good use of our time.
See you next month.
Cheers,
Craig