# Usage in command line style
Documentation of FoxBin2Prg - A Binary to Text converter for MS Visual Foxpro 9

## Purpose of this document
This document shows how to run FoxBin2Prg from MS Windows Commandline, VFP's Command window or as SendTo. 

The original document was created by [Fernando D. Bozzo](https://github.com/fdbozzo) whom I like to thank for the great project.   
Pictures are taken from the original project.  
As far as possible these are the original documents. Changes are added where functionality is changed.

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## Table of contents
- [Run FoxBin2Prg](#run-foxbin2prg)
- [Differences on excecution](#differences-on-excecution)
- [EXE](#exe)
- [PRG](#prg)
- [Parameters](#parameters)
- [Usage](#usage)
- [Return values](#return-values)
- [Examples](#Examples)
- [Explorer SendTo](#explorer-sendto)

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## Run FoxBin2Prg
FoxBin2Prg might be used as an EXE either from Windows or VFP, or as as prg from inside VFP.
Additional it might be integrated as an VFP Object using the [Object version](./FoxBin2Prg_Object.md).   
Since the EXE is basically the prg packed with some controling files, the way to call it ist mostly similar.
The knowledge of differences in calling, DO .. WITH syntax separating parameters with ","  and the DOS way off calling will be assumed.
Do the similarity of the call, the prg version takes all parameters as strings too.

For settings and other related stuff see [Internals](./FoxBin2Prg_Internals.md).

## Differences on excecution
### EXE
The exe contains the mose controling structures and the program itself.
Alongside the _FoxBin2Prg.exe_ must be _FileName_Caps.exe_ .
It is recomended to have a general _FoxBin2Prg.cfg_ configuration file in the folder with the EXE, but it will run without.   

Remember, the Exe needs to be created first.

### PRG
The prg is just the program and needs to find the controling structures. In particular:
- _FileName_Caps.exe_
- _Props*.txt_
- _FileName_Caps.exe_
- _FoxBin2Prg.cfg_ is recomended

#### Note
All mentioned files need to be in the same folder. You can't use just the PRG without the rest of the mentioned files.

## Parameters
`FoxBin2Prg.EXE ...`   
could be used from VFP command line as   
`DO FoxBin2Prg.EXE WITH ...`   
or   
`DO FoxBin2Prg.prg WITH ...`  
or via _RUN_ or more sophisticated ways.   

Remember that using the prg style, parameters must be wrapped in string delimiters.  

#### Note
Do to the compatibility with VSS the usage of _cInputFile_ and _cType_ is odd.

#### Important note:
When you process a directory, it is used as the base for the compilation of _Binaries_,
and because of this, never process more than one directory in the same process,
because the compilation may not be ok. To process more than one directory (or project),
just select and process each one independently, in parallel if you like, but in different processes.

## Usage
### Usage 1
`FoxBin2Prg.EXE cInputFile [,cType [,cTextName [,lGenText [,cDontShowErrors [,cDebug [,cDontShowProgress [,cOriginalFileName [,cRecompile [,cNoTimestamps [,cCFG_File [,cOutputFolder ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]`

| Parameter | Value (_Default_) | Description |
| ----- | ----- | ----- |
| cInputFile | fullpath | Full name of the file to convert or directory name to process <br/> without any other parameter given, the extension (and the config) defines the operation|
| | _FileName::ClassName_ | If option UseClassPerFile is 1 or 2, a class-file will be extracted from the lib |
| cType | _empty_ | Fileextension of _cInputFile_ defines operation |
| | BIN2PRG | _cInputFile_ is processed for generating a _Text_ representation. |
| | PRG2BIN | _cInputFile_ is processed for generating the _Binary_ file(s). |
| | INTERACTIVE | A confirmation dialog will be shown when processing a directory asking what to convert. <br/> This option overrides the _BIN2PRG_ and _PRG2BIN_ parameters. <br/> Can be used with or without _PRG2BIN_ or _BIN2PRG_ |
| | SHOWMSG | A status message will be shown on termination. |
| | * | If _cInputFile_ is a project (pj[x2]) all files of the project, **including** the pjx, will be processed. The extension defines direction of operation. |
| | \*\- | If _cInputFile_ is a project (pj[x2]) all files of the project, **excluding** the pjx, will be processed. The extension defines direction of operation. |
| | d, D, K, B, M, R, V | SCCAPI (SCCTEXT.PRG) compatibility mode, query the conversion support for the file type specified <br /> Types: d=DBC, D=DBF, K=Form, B=Label, M=Menu, R=Report, V=Class |
| cTextName | Text filename. | Only for SCCAPI (SCCTEXT.PRG) compatibility mode. File to use. |
| lGenText | .T., .F. | Only for SCCAPI (SCCTEXT.PRG) compatibility mode.<br/>.T.=Generates _Text_, .F.=Generates _Binary_.<br/>**Note:** _cType_ have predominance over _lGenText_ |
| cDontShowErrors | _0_, 1 | '1' for NOT showing errors in MESSAGEBOX |
| cDebug | _0_, 1, 2 | '0 'no debug, '1' for generating process LOGs, stop on errors, '2' like '1' and special log. |
| cDontShowProgress | 0, _1_, 2 | '0' show progress, '1' for **not** showing the process window, '2' Show only for multi-file processing |
| cOriginalFileName | text | used in those cases in which inputFile is a temporary filename and you want to generate the correct filename on the header of the _Text_ version |
| cRecompile | 0, _1_ | Indicates recompile ('1') the _Binary_ once generated. <br/> True if called from SCCAPI (SCCTEXT.PRG) compatibility mode. |
|  | path | The _Binary_ is compiled from this path |
| cNoTimestamps | 0, _1_ | Indicates if timestamp must be cleared ('1' or empty) or not ('0') |
| cCFG_File | filename | Indicates a CFG filename for not using the default on foxbin2prg directory or path. |
| cOutputFolder | folder | Optional. A folder to write the output to. If not used, output be the source path. |

#### Note #1
The _BIN2PRG, PRG2BIN, INTERACTIVE, SHOWMSG_ cTypes might be mixed freely like:   
`PRG2BIN-INTERACTIVE`   
`BIN2PRG-INTERACTIVE-SHOWMSG`

#### Note #2
On any combination of (_BIN2PRG_, _PRG2BIN_, _INTERACTIVE_, _SHOWMSG_) separated by a "-", _cType_ and _cInputFile_ parameters can be swapped.   
This is useful when used as EXE dealing with Windows shortcuts,
on which fixed parameters must be in the shortcut.   
The filename is an external variable parameter received when SendingTo FoxBin2Prg with right-click on File Manager.

### Usage 2
`FoxBin2Prg.EXE [cCt [cOutputFile]]`   
`DO FoxBin2Prg.EXE WITH ["-cCt" [,cOutputFile]]`   

| Parameter | Description |
| ----- | ----- |
| none | Call Info screen |
| -c (c) | creates a template config-file _cOutputFile_ ( like FOXBIN2PRG.CFG ) |
| -C (C) | creates a config-file _cOutputFile_ ( like FOXBIN2PRG.CFG ) with the recent options used on the path of cOutputFile |
| | If cOutputFile is empty, a file FOXBIN2PRG._CFG will be created in default foder. | 
| -t (t) | creates a template table-config-file _cOutputFile_ ( like _TableName_.dbf.cfg ) |
| | If cOutputFile is empty and a table is open is workarea, a file \<tablename\>._CFG will be created in table foder. | 

#### Note
From command line the call with paramters like -c, -C -t is not possible. Those parameters will be removed by VFP itself.
Just call without the dash.
Calling inside VFP with `DO FoxBin2Prg.EXE` works with this dashed parameters.

## Return values
Return value via _ErrorLevel_ is 0=OK, 1=Error.

## Examples
### Using the "EXE" version: (useful for calling from 3rd party programs)

| command | description |
| - | - |
| `FOXBIN2PRG.EXE "<path>\file.scx"` | Generates the _Text_ version |
| `FOXBIN2PRG.EXE "<path>\file.sc2"` | Generates the _Binary_ version |
| `FOXBIN2PRG.EXE "<path>\proj.pjx" "*"` | Generates the _Text_ files for all the files in the PJX, including the PJX |
| `FOXBIN2PRG.EXE "<path>\proj.pj2" "*"` | Generates the _Binary_ files for all the files in the PJ2 |
| `FOXBIN2PRG.EXE "<path>\proj.pjx" "*-"` | Generates the _Text_ files for all the files in the PJX, excluding the PJX |
| `FOXBIN2PRG.EXE "<path>\file.vcx::cus_client"` | Generates only the _Text_ version of the individual class cus_client of file.vcx (with UseClassPerFile:1 or 2) |
| `FOXBIN2PRG.EXE "<path>\proj.pj2" "*" \| find /V ""` | Generates the _Binary_ files for all the files in the PJ2 and outputs to stdOut |

### Using the "PRG" version:

| command | description |
| - | - |
| `DO FOXBIN2PRG.PRG WITH "<path>\file.scx"` | Generates the _Text_ version |
| `DO FOXBIN2PRG.PRG WITH "<path>\file.sc2"` | Generates the _Binary_ version |
| `DO FOXBIN2PRG.PRG WITH "<path>\proj.pjx", "*"` | Generates the _Text_ files for all the files in the PJX, including the PJX |
| `DO FOXBIN2PRG.PRG WITH "<path>\proj.pj2", "*"` | Generates the _Binary_ files for all the files in the PJ2 |
| `DO FOXBIN2PRG.PRG WITH "<path>\proj.pjx", "*-"` | Generates the _Text_ files for all the files in the PJX, excluding the PJX |
| `DO FOXBIN2PRG.PRG WITH "<path>\file.vcx::cus_client"` | Generates only the _Text_ version of the individual class cus_client of file.vcx (with UseClassPerFile:1 or 2) |
| `DO FOXBIN2PRG.PRG WITH "<path>\file.cus_client.vc2"` | Generates only the _Binary_ version of the individual class cus_client of file.vcx (with UseClassPerFile:1 and RedirectClassType:2) |
| `DO FOXBIN2PRG.PRG WITH "<path>\file.vc2::cus_client::import"` | Generates only the _Binary_ version of the individual class cus_client of file.vcx (with UseClassPerFile:1) |

## Explorer SendTo
To use _FoxBin2Prg_ from the File Explorer, you can create 3 shortcuts of FoxBin2Prg.exe and move them to "SendTo" folder on your Windows profile.   
Hint: **type _shell:sendto_ in File Explorer's address bar and it will open send to folder**,
so you can "send" the selected file (pjx,pj2,etc) to the selected option,
and make on-the-fly conversions,
then rename and edit those shortcuts as this (make sure you can see system file extensions):
```
Name------------------------  Right-click/Properties/destination-----------
FoxBin2Prg - Binary2Text.lnk  <path>\foxbin2prg.exe "BIN2PRG-SHOWMSG"
FoxBin2Prg - Text2Binary.lnk  <path>\foxbin2prg.exe "PRG2BIN-SHOWMSG"
FoxBin2Prg.lnk                <path>\foxbin2prg.exe "INTERACTIVE-SHOWMSG"
```

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![VFPX logo](https://vfpx.github.io/images/vfpxbanner_small.gif)   
This project is part of [VFPX](https://vfpx.github.io/).   

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Last changed: _2021/03/18_ ![Picture](./pictures/vfpxpoweredby_alternative.gif)