New Version of DeployFox

DeployFox automates the steps required to deploy your applications by providing a customizable list of tasks: copy files, rename files, build a project into an EXE, digitally sign an EXE, run an Inno Setup script to create an installer, upload files to an FTP site, and so on.

I released a new version today that adds a new capability: templates. I have several applications that have nearly identical DeployFox projects: Stonefield Query for AccountMate, Stonefield Query for Alere, Stonefield Query for Sage 300, and several others. By creating DeployFox variables, I made the tasks more generic. For example, the Copy SFQuery.CHM task, which every application's DeployFox project has, copies {$ProjectFolder}\HTMLHelp\sfquery.chm to {$ProjectFolder}. $ProjectFolder contains the folder where the application is located so the task is the same for every application. For those tasks that have different settings, I have an INI file containing the values for those settings for the current project, read those values into DeployFox variables, and then use those variables for the setting values.

Because all of the applications use almost the same set of tasks, when I recently changed one of the tasks, I had to do it in the DeployFox project for each application. I realized that having a common set of tasks would make that much easier, so the idea of templates was born.

I now have a DeployFox project called DeploymentTemplate. Each of the applications uses tasks from that project: the ones shown in green in the image below. The settings for a task that comes from a template can't be edited except the Active and Order values. To edit the other settings for a task, do in it the template project.

To add tasks from a template to the current project, click the template button and select a DeployFox project. The dialog that appears allows you to select which tasks to add from the template project to the current one.

This new feature will save me a lot of time if I need to change any tasks in future releases of Stonefield Query versions.

Virtual Fox Fest 2026: We've got Sessions

You probably know that Virtual Fox Fest 2026 is October 21-22, 2026, but maybe you haven't had a chance to take a look at our great set of sessions. Here are the links so you can check them out:

• Using Chilkat/ChilkatVFP (Bill Anderson)
• The VFP Developers Toolkit (Rick Borup)
• Visual FoxPro Development Using Alternative Editors - OnDemand (Gregory Green)
• Consuming REST Services in VFP Applications (Doug Hennig)
• Using AI to Research and Document a Visual FoxPro App You've Inherited (Jeff Roberts)
• FoxAgent: Connecting AI Agents to Live VFP Applications with X# and MCP (Irwin Alfredo Rodríguez)
• VFP in 2026: Easy Mods to Help Keep Your Apps Current (John Ryan)
• How VFPX Can Make You More of a Superhero! (Rick Schummer)
• Visiting SQL Server's Engine Room (Christof Wollenhaupt)

Registration is US$219 by August 31st, so save yourself US$20 by registering today before the price increases on September 1st. This cost includes admission to all live sessions, all session materials (white papers and samples), immediate access to all recorded videos of the presentations, and access to online social events.

Register here: https://geekgatherings.com/Registration.

Order your Virtual Fox Fest gear from https://geekgatherings.logosoftwear.com/. Increase your geek credentials by purchasing shirts, hats, hoodies, fleeces and more with the conference logo.

The Geek Gatherings YouTube Channel has more than 110 videos with session content from Virtual Fox Fest and Southwest Fox conferences over the last six years. That is nearly 140 hours of viewing.