Foxypreviewer.com Reviews

Based on checking the website, FoxyPreviewer.com appears to be a legitimate and specialized tool designed for Visual FoxPro VFP developers.

It focuses on enhancing VFP report generation and previewing capabilities, offering functionalities like exporting reports to various formats Images, RTF, PDF, HTML, XLS, email integration, and advanced preview features.

This niche tool seems highly beneficial for VFP users looking to modernize and extend the utility of their legacy applications, providing practical solutions for common reporting challenges within the VFP environment.

This detailed review will delve into the features, benefits, and overall value proposition of FoxyPreviewer, offering insights for developers considering its adoption.

We’ll explore its functionalities, user feedback, and how it stacks up against potential alternatives, ensuring you have all the necessary information to make an informed decision.

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IMPORTANT: We have not personally tested this company’s services. This review is based solely on information provided by the company on their website. For independent, verified user experiences, please refer to trusted sources such as Trustpilot, Reddit, and BBB.org.

FoxyPreviewer.com: A Deep Dive into Its Offerings

FoxyPreviewer.com presents itself as a robust solution for Visual FoxPro developers seeking to upgrade their report generation and previewing workflows. It’s not just a simple export tool.

It integrates a suite of features designed to enhance user experience and streamline common reporting tasks.

For anyone still working within the VFP ecosystem, this tool aims to breathe new life into their applications’ output capabilities.

What is FoxyPreviewer?

FoxyPreviewer is essentially a Visual FoxPro report generating class.

It extends the native VFP reporting system with advanced functionalities, offering a more modern and flexible approach to handling reports.

This tool seems to address several pain points for VFP developers, particularly concerning output formats, preview customization, and distribution.

• Core Function: Transforms VFP reports into various formats.
• Target Audience: Visual FoxPro developers and businesses using VFP applications.
• Value Proposition: Enhances existing VFP applications without a complete rewrite.

The website emphasizes ease of use, stating that it makes exporting reports “super easy!” This suggests a focus on developer efficiency and quick implementation, which is crucial for maintaining legacy systems.

FoxyPreviewer.com Features

The website details a comprehensive list of features, highlighting improvements to the standard VFP report preview experience and adding significant new capabilities.

These features collectively aim to provide a more modern and versatile reporting environment within VFP.

Enhanced Preview Toolbar

The original VFP toolbar is modified with new button images and functionalities. This isn’t just a cosmetic change. Kinetichosting.net Reviews

It suggests improved usability and access to new tools directly from the preview window.

• New Button Images: Modernized look and feel.
• Added Buttons: Direct access to new FoxyPreviewer functionalities.
• Intuitive Interface: Aims to make the preview experience more user-friendly.

Printers ComboBox

A crucial feature for managing output destinations.

This combo box shows all available printers local and network and allows users to change the output target on the fly.

• Dynamic Printer Selection: Easily switch between printers.
• Network Printer Support: Seamless integration with networked environments.
• Streamlined Printing: Reduces steps for users to print reports.

Copies Spinner

This simple yet effective feature allows users to determine the number of copies to print directly from the preview toolbar.

• On-the-Fly Quantity Control: No need to go to separate print settings.
• User Convenience: Saves time and clicks for multiple copy printing.

Miniatures Button

A visual navigation tool that displays thumbnails of all report pages.

Clicking a miniature jumps directly to that page, similar to a PDF viewer.

• Visual Navigation: Quick overview of the entire report.
• Efficient Page Jumps: Instantly move to specific pages without scrolling.
• Improved User Experience: Enhances readability and report exploration.

Save As Button with Multiple Formats

This is one of the most significant features, providing extensive export capabilities.

The “Save As” button calls a context menu allowing reports to be saved in numerous formats.

• Image Files: EMF, PNG, JPG, BMP, GIF, TIFF. This is particularly useful for embedding report snippets into other documents or web pages.
• HTML: For web-based viewing and sharing.
• PDF: The industry standard for document sharing, ensuring consistent viewing across platforms.
• RTF: A Microsoft Word-compatible format, allowing for further editing in word processors.
• XLS: An MS-Excel XML worksheet format, enabling data analysis and manipulation in spreadsheets.

The breadth of export options addresses a major limitation of native VFP reporting, making reports far more versatile and shareable.

Context Menu Integration

The report context menu is updated to include all the new buttons and pictures, ensuring consistent access to FoxyPreviewer’s features. Vigrxplus.com Reviews

• Unified Access: All new features are available through the context menu.
• Enhanced Right-Click Functionality: Quicker access for experienced users.

Changing Printer Preferences

Users can access the Printer Preferences dialog directly from the report toolbar, allowing for on-the-fly adjustments to printer settings.

This works across all Windows versions, indicating broad compatibility.

• Direct Access: No need to navigate through system settings.
• Real-time Adjustments: Modify printer settings before printing.
• Broad Compatibility: Works on various Windows OS versions.

Send Report by Email

A standout feature for report distribution.

FoxyPreviewer allows users to send reports via email with ease, offering multiple methods: MAPI, CDO, or custom email procedures.

• MAPI Integration: Compatible with Outlook Express, MS Outlook, and Windows Live Mail.
• CDO Option: Uses your own SMTP server for direct email delivery, offering more control.
• Custom Procedures: Flexibility for specific application needs.
• Enhanced Email Form:
  • Generate HTML outputs for the message body.
  • Change formatting, alignments, fonts, add pictures, hyperlinks.
  • Preload HTML templates.
  • Attach more files.
  • Mark messages as priority.
  • Request read receipts.
• Progress Bar: A continuous progress bar indicates email delivery status, improving user feedback.

This email functionality transforms reporting from a mere output process into an active communication tool, crucial for modern business operations.

User Setup Allowed

Users can configure the PrintPreview window and toolbar appearance, customizing almost everything for current and subsequent report sessions.

This level of personalization enhances user satisfaction and productivity.

• Personalized Interface: Users can tailor the environment to their preferences.
• Persistent Settings: Configurations are saved for future sessions.
• Improved User Experience: Makes the tool feel more integrated and customized.

International Support

FoxyPreviewer supports 12 languages, including English, Spanish, Portuguese, Greek, Turkish, French, German, Italian, Persian, Czech, Polish, and Indonesian.

This global reach is impressive for a niche VFP tool.

• Multi-language Support: Caters to a diverse user base.
• Easy Language Switching: Simple property setting to change languages.
• Global Accessibility: Broadens the tool’s applicability.

Search Texts During Preview

A highly practical feature that allows users to search for specific texts within the preview canvas, highlighting the corresponding cell. Lenscrafters.com Reviews

• Quick Information Retrieval: Easily find data within large reports.
• Enhanced Readability: Highlights search results for clarity.
• Improved Navigation: Helps users locate specific content quickly.

Full Justified Texts

This feature allows for full justified texts in reports by simply including the tag <FJ> in the desired report control’s “User Data.” This is a subtle but powerful enhancement for professional document presentation.

• Professional Formatting: Ensures neat and aligned text blocks.
• Simple Implementation: Easy to apply within report controls.
• Improved Aesthetics: Makes reports look more polished.

New Enhanced Progress Bar

The progress bar is updated according to the Windows OS version Vista, XP, 2000/98, providing a native and visually appealing progress indication.

• OS-Specific Styling: Blends seamlessly with the user’s operating system.
• Visual Feedback: Keeps users informed during lengthy operations.

FoxyPreviewer.com Pros & Cons

Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of FoxyPreviewer is crucial for developers evaluating its utility for their projects.

Pros

• Comprehensive Export Options: The ability to export to Images, RTF, PDF, HTML, and XLS is a significant advantage, addressing diverse reporting needs. PDF and XLS exports are particularly valuable for business operations.
• Enhanced User Experience: Features like the miniatures button, search functionality, and customizable interface improve the usability of VFP reports.
• Email Integration: Sending reports directly via email with advanced options HTML body, attachments, priority streamlines distribution workflows.
• Internationalization: Support for multiple languages makes the tool accessible to a broader, global user base.
• Active Development Historically: The mention of V3.0 and continuous improvements suggests an active development phase, incorporating community feedback and new functionalities. The detailed credits section shows a strong collaboration with the VFP community, indicating a well-supported project.
• Improved Aesthetics: Modernized toolbar, justified texts, and enhanced progress bars contribute to a more professional look and feel for VFP applications.
• Direct Printer Control: Changing printer preferences and copy counts directly from the preview window saves time and simplifies printing tasks.
• Legacy System Modernization: It provides a cost-effective way to enhance existing Visual FoxPro applications without requiring a complete rewrite or migration to new platforms.

Cons

• Niche Audience: Visual FoxPro is a legacy programming language. While FoxyPreviewer is highly valuable for VFP developers, its applicability is limited to this specific ecosystem. This might mean less frequent updates or a smaller community compared to tools for more current technologies.
• Dependency on VFP: If a business eventually migrates away from VFP, FoxyPreviewer becomes obsolete for that system.
• Learning Curve: While “super easy” for VFP developers, integrating and customizing a new class library still requires some understanding and effort.
• Support Longevity: For any legacy technology-specific tool, long-term support and updates can become a concern as the underlying technology’s user base diminishes.
• Pricing Model Implied: While pricing isn’t explicitly detailed on the main landing page snippet, tools like this often come with a one-time purchase or subscription. Developers would need to assess if the cost aligns with their project budget and the expected lifespan of their VFP applications.

FoxyPreviewer.com Pricing

While the provided text doesn’t explicitly detail the pricing structure, the presence of a “Pricing” link on the navigation menu indicates that FoxyPreviewer is a commercial product, not free open-source software.

Typically, specialized tools for niche development environments offer:

• One-time License Fee: Common for developer tools, granting perpetual use for a specific version.
• Per-Developer License: Pricing scales with the number of developers using the tool.
• Subscription Model: Less common for such tools, but possible, offering updates and support for the subscription period.
• Site/Company License: Allowing unlimited use within a single organization.

To get accurate pricing, a potential user would need to visit the “Pricing” page on FoxyPreviewer.com. Factors influencing the cost would likely include:

• Number of developer licenses.
• Inclusion of source code.
• Support plans or update periods.

Given its role in enhancing legacy applications, the pricing would ideally be structured to provide good value for extending the life and functionality of existing VFP systems, rather than being prohibitively expensive, which might push users towards full system migrations.

How to Cancel FoxyPreviewer.com Subscription / Free Trial

The provided website text does not mention a subscription model or a free trial.

It refers to “Downloads” and “Pricing,” which typically imply a one-time purchase or perpetual license rather than a recurring subscription.

If FoxyPreviewer were to offer a subscription or free trial in the future, the cancellation process would generally involve: Olavscars.com Reviews

1. Accessing Your Account: Logging into a user portal or account area on FoxyPreviewer.com.
2. Managing Subscriptions/Licenses: Locating a “Manage Subscription” or “My Licenses” section.
3. Cancellation Option: Clicking a “Cancel” or “End Trial” button.
4. Confirmation: Confirming the cancellation via email or on the website.

However, based on the current information, it seems FoxyPreviewer operates on a license purchase model.

Therefore, cancellation would not apply in the traditional sense.

Rather, it would be a matter of deciding not to renew a potential support plan or not to purchase future versions.

For software licenses, once purchased, they are generally yours to use according to the license terms.

FoxyPreviewer.com Alternatives

For Visual FoxPro developers, alternatives to FoxyPreviewer would generally fall into a few categories:

Native VFP Reporting Without Enhancements

• Description: This is the default reporting engine within Visual FoxPro. It’s built-in and requires no additional cost.
• Pros: Free, no external dependencies.
• Cons: Lacks modern export formats e.g., direct PDF, robust HTML, limited preview capabilities, no email integration, less aesthetically pleasing interface. Many VFP applications still rely on this, but it often necessitates custom code for advanced outputs.

Custom Coding with External Libraries

• Description: Developers write their own code to integrate with third-party libraries for specific functionalities, e.g., using a PDF generation library like FoxyPreviewer does with HARU PDF or an email component.
• Pros: Complete control, no vendor lock-in for a complete solution.
• Cons: Significant development time and effort, maintaining integrations, potential licensing costs for individual libraries, steep learning curve for each component. This is essentially what FoxyPreviewer bundles and streamlines.

Third-Party Reporting Tools for VFP

While FoxyPreviewer is a class library within VFP, some tools might offer more externalized reporting capabilities that could integrate with VFP data. These are rarer now but existed in VFP’s heyday.

• Description: Specialized reporting tools designed to work with various data sources, including potentially VFP.
• Pros: Potentially more powerful reporting features than VFP’s native engine, cross-database compatibility.
• Cons: Often complex to integrate, might require significant data restructuring, can be expensive, and are increasingly rare for VFP.

Migration to Modern Platforms

• Description: This is the most drastic alternative, involving migrating the entire VFP application to a modern development platform e.g., .NET, Java, web-based frameworks. This would involve rebuilding the application and its reporting system from scratch.
• Pros: Access to modern tools and frameworks, better performance, long-term support, broader developer community, enhanced security.
• Cons: Extremely expensive and time-consuming, significant disruption to business operations, requires new skill sets, and potentially a complete redesign of business logic. This is typically pursued when VFP applications can no longer meet business needs or become too costly to maintain.

FoxyPreviewer positions itself as a pragmatic middle-ground, offering significant enhancements to VFP reporting without the monumental task and cost of a full migration.

It’s a “level up” for existing VFP applications, extending their lifespan and utility.

For businesses committed to their VFP legacy systems, FoxyPreviewer is likely a superior choice to the other VFP-specific alternatives due to its integrated, comprehensive nature and proven community backing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is FoxyPreviewer.com a legitimate website?

Yes, FoxyPreviewer.com appears to be a legitimate website offering a specialized software solution for Visual FoxPro developers. Protectivemethod.com Reviews

The detailed features, documentation links, and credits to various contributors suggest it is a genuine project.

What is FoxyPreviewer used for?

FoxyPreviewer is used by Visual FoxPro VFP developers to enhance report generation and previewing within their VFP applications.

It allows exporting reports to various formats Images, RTF, PDF, HTML, XLS, email integration, and offers advanced preview functionalities.

What file formats can FoxyPreviewer export reports to?

FoxyPreviewer can export VFP reports to a variety of formats, including Image Files EMF, PNG, JPG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, HTML, PDF, RTF MS-Word compatible, and XLS MS-Excel XML worksheet.

Can I send reports by email using FoxyPreviewer?

Yes, FoxyPreviewer allows you to send reports by email super easily.

You can choose between using your default email application via MAPI, CDO using your own SMTP server, or even your custom email procedure.

Does FoxyPreviewer support HTML email bodies?

Yes, the enhanced email form in FoxyPreviewer allows you to generate HTML outputs for the body of your message, enabling rich text formatting, images, and hyperlinks.

Is FoxyPreviewer compatible with older Windows versions?

Yes, FoxyPreviewer is designed to work across various Windows versions, including older ones like Windows XP, Windows 2000/98, and Vista, as indicated by its enhanced progress bar feature.

Can users customize the FoxyPreviewer interface?

Yes, users may configure the PrintPreview window and toolbar appearance for the current and subsequent report sessions, customizing almost everything to their preferences.

What languages does FoxyPreviewer support?

FoxyPreviewer supports 12 languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Greek, Turkish, French, German, Italian, Persian, Czech, Polish, and Indonesian. Buyxcluder.com Reviews

Can I search for text within a report preview using FoxyPreviewer?

Yes, FoxyPreviewer allows you to make searches within the preview canvas, and the corresponding cell with the searched text will be highlighted.

Does FoxyPreviewer enhance text justification in VFP reports?

Yes, FoxyPreviewer allows for full justified texts in your reports by simply including the tag <FJ> in the desired report control’s “User Data” property.

How does FoxyPreviewer handle printing multiple copies?

FoxyPreviewer includes a “Copies spinner” directly on the preview toolbar, allowing users to determine the quantity of copies to print on the fly.

What is the Miniatures button in FoxyPreviewer?

The Miniatures button displays thumbnails of all pages of the current report.

Clicking on any miniature will jump the output page to the selected one, facilitating navigation.

Does FoxyPreviewer replace the native Visual FoxPro reporting system?

No, FoxyPreviewer is a VFP report generating class that enhances and extends the native Visual FoxPro reporting system, rather than replacing it entirely. It works with VFP’s existing capabilities.

Is FoxyPreviewer a free tool?

No, FoxyPreviewer is not a free tool.

The website includes a “Pricing” section, indicating it is a commercial product that requires purchase.

Are there any alternatives to FoxyPreviewer for VFP developers?

Alternatives include using native VFP reporting without enhancements, custom coding with individual external libraries for specific functionalities, or a complete migration of the VFP application to a modern development platform.

How does FoxyPreviewer compare to a full system migration from VFP?

FoxyPreviewer offers a cost-effective solution to modernize VFP reporting without the significant expense and disruption of a full system migration to a new platform. It extends the life of existing VFP applications. Rotimatic.com Reviews

Does FoxyPreviewer offer a free trial?

The provided website information does not explicitly mention a free trial.

Users would need to check the official website’s “Downloads” or “Pricing” sections for any trial offers.

How do I cancel a FoxyPreviewer subscription?

Based on the available information, FoxyPreviewer appears to operate on a license purchase model rather than a subscription.

Therefore, a “cancellation” in the traditional sense would not apply.

You would simply not purchase future versions or support plans if offered.

What kind of support does FoxyPreviewer offer?

The website mentions “Documentation,” “FAQS,” and lists numerous “Credits / Collaborators / Special Thanks,” indicating a strong community and resource base.

Specific support plans would likely be detailed on their pricing page.

Is FoxyPreviewer still actively developed?

While the information mentions “New in v3.0” and credits many collaborators, indicating historical active development, whether it’s currently under active development would require checking recent news or update logs on the FoxyPreviewer.com website.

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