How to copy table structures and data from SQL Server into Visual FoxPro tables

MORE INFORMATION

In situations where developers want to copy data from SQL Server tables to Visual FoxPro tables, you can use the SQLEXEC(), SQLTABLES(), and AFIELDS() functions for the following:

• Retrieve information regarding the structure of SQL Server tables.
• Create tables that correspond to SQL Server table structure(s).
• Copy data from SQL Server tables to Visual FoxPro tables.

The following code snippet illustrates the process of copying data from SQL Server tables to Visual FoxPro tables:

Sample Code

Note The user, Username, must have permissions to perform these operations on the database.

   * Begin Code.
   * SQL Server Tables may contain long field names
   * that would not be supported in free tables.
   * Create a Database Container.
   CREATE DATABASE SQLDATA
   * Create a cursor to contain the table information.
   CREATE CURSOR SYS_Tables (Table_Name c(128), Field_Name c(120), ;
      Field_Type c(1), Field_len N(3,0), Field_Dec N(3,0))
   * Create a connection string to connect to SQL Server.
   * Substitute the correct server name in the next line.
   Connect_String = 'DRIVER={SQL Server};SERVER=MY_SERVER;' + ;
      'DATABASE=PUBS;UID=UserName;PWD=StrongPassword'
   * Connect to SQL Server.
   gnConnHandle=SQLSTRINGCONNECT(Connect_String)
   IF gnConnHandle>0
      * Want to use the PUBS Database, so send USE command.
      SQLCOMMAND="USE PUBS"
      =sqlexec(gnConnHandle,SQLCOMMAND)
      * Get the tables available on SQL Server.
      SQLConnTables=SQLTABLES(gnConnHandle)
      IF SQLConnTables>0
         SELECT SQLResult
         * Only want tables, so select where table_type='TABLE'
         * Otherwise get system tables and views.
         SELECT Table_Name FROM SQLResult ;
            WHERE UPPER(ALLTRIM(Table_Type))="TABLE" ;
            INTO CURSOR SQL_Tables
         SELECT SQL_Tables
         INCnt=0
         DO WHILE !EOF()
            * Create a command to execute the stored procedure.
            SQLCOMMAND="SELECT * FROM " + ALLTRIM(Table_Name)
            * Execute the stored procedure and return data to a cursor
            =sqlexec(gnConnHandle,SQLCOMMAND,'tmp_sys_data')
            * Select the cursor.
            SELECT tmp_sys_data
            * Get actual name of the tmp file that is in use with DBF()
            this_file=DBF()
            * Use AFIELDS() function to get fields and field attributes.
            =AFIELDS(test_vals)
            * Dimension maketab array to contain field data.
            DIMENSION maketab[alen(test_vals,1),6]
            * Load maketab array with field data.
            FOR i=1 TO ALEN(test_vals,1)
               maketab[i,1]=test_vals[i,1]
               maketab[i,2]=test_vals[i,2]
               maketab[i,3]=test_vals[i,3]
               maketab[i,4]=test_vals[i,4]
               maketab[i,5]=test_vals[i,5]
               maketab[i,6]=test_vals[i,6]
            NEXT
            * Create a table from the array maketab.
            Execute_Cmd="CREATE TABLE "+ALLTRIM(SQL_Tables.Table_Name)+ ;
               " FROM ARRAY maketab"
            &Execute_Cmd
            * Select the table that was just created.
            current_table=ALLTRIM(SQL_Tables.Table_Name)
            SELECT (current_table)
            * Append from the tmp file.
            APPEND FROM &this_file
            SELECT SQL_Tables
            SKIP
         ENDDO
         =SQLDISCONN(gnConnHandle)
      ENDIF
   ENDIF
   SELECT SQL_Tables
   CLOSE ALL
   USE AUTHORS
   BROWSE TIMEOUT 15
   CLOSE ALL
   RETURN
   * End Code
				

Copy the code snippet to a program file, then run the program file. The program creates a Database container named Sqldata.dbc and copies tables from the SQL Server PUBS database. After the tables are copied, the Authors table opens.