INFO: When Visual FoxPro Uses 16-bit & 32-bit ODBC Drivers

MORE INFORMATION

For information about when Visual FoxPro for Macintosh, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Visual FoxPro installs and uses the 16-bit ODBC drivers when running on a 16-bit platform such as Windows version 3.x and Windows For Workgroups version 3.x running the Win32s subsystem.

The Win32s subsystem provides the necessary ability for 32-bit applications to communicate with 16-bit Data Link Libraries (DLLs). This process is called "thunking." Through thunking, Visual FoxPro, which is a true 32-bit application, can use the 16-bit ODBC drivers.

Visual FoxPro uses the 32-bit drivers when running on a 32-bit platform such as Windows NT and Windows 95. Because Windows NT and Windows 95 are 32- bit operating systems, there is no need to install the Win32s subsystem, and there is no need for thunking between Visual FoxPro and the ODBC Drivers.

During installation, the available versions of the appropriate ODBC drivers are installed based on the current platform and the Win32s subsystem is installed, if necessary.

NOTE: This is also true if you are distributing an application that makes use of the ODBC drivers.

NOTE: There are no 32-bit ODBC drivers for Oracle or Btrieve shipped with Visual FoxPro.