Project Copperfin

Project Copperfin is a clean-room blueprint for a modern successor to Visual FoxPro-style business application development.

Current engineering priority:

• security and speed first
• language choice second

This folder captures the current plan for a new platform that can:

• preserve access to legacy xBase/FoxPro-era data and application assets
• work with modern relational databases such as SQLite, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, and Oracle
• interoperate deeply with the .NET ecosystem and produce .NET-consumable outputs
• provide a modern runtime, designer, reporting stack, and migration path
• add modern security, packaging, deployment, and observability
• avoid direct reuse of FoxPro/VFP branding

Why "Copperfin"?

• Copper signals durable infrastructure, wiring, and business systems.
• Fin signals navigation, movement, and forward compatibility.
• It does not reuse the Fox/FoxPro/VFP brand family.

Important note:

• Copperfin is a working codename and branding starter, not a legal clearance opinion.
• A formal trademark review should happen before public release, filing, or product launch.

Contents:

• LICENSE
• SECURITY.md
• remaining-work.md
• docs/01-product-charter.md
• docs/02-architecture.md
• docs/03-compatibility-and-migration.md
• docs/04-security-model.md
• docs/05-roadmap.md
• docs/06-branding.md
• docs/07-clean-room-rules.md
• docs/08-reference-map.md
• docs/09-adr-cpp-first.md
• docs/10-dotnet-interop.md
• docs/11-engineering-spec-dotnet.md
• docs/12-vfp-asset-editing-and-execution.md
• docs/13-index-format-notes.md
• docs/14-hybrid-studio-and-visual-studio-host.md
• docs/15-local-product-archeology.md
• docs/16-vfp9-equivalent-subsystems.md
• docs/17-modern-designer-direction.md
• docs/18-native-security-and-rbac.md
• docs/19-polyglot-and-ai-subprojects.md
• docs/20-runtime-build-and-debug-pipeline.md
• docs/21-database-federation-and-query-translation.md
• docs/22-vfp-language-reference-coverage.md
• docs/23-vfp-help-and-component-mining.md
• assets/logo.svg

Recommended next build order:

1. File engine for DBF/FPT/CDX/DBC fidelity.
2. Connector layer for SQLite, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, and Oracle.
3. Query/runtime core with compatibility tests.
4. Forms and reports import/render pipeline.
5. Migration toolkit and packaging.
6. Security and policy layer.

Implementation bias:

• native core for performance-sensitive and trust-sensitive subsystems
• optional higher-level companion tooling only when it stays outside the product core
• first-class .NET interoperability and 64-bit support
• selective Rust use is acceptable where it materially improves safety or speed
• first-class ability to open, inspect, edit, and eventually execute legacy VFP assets

Current runnable artifacts:

• build\Release\copperfin_inspect.exe
  • low-level file and index inspection for DBF/VFP asset families
• build\Release\copperfin_studio_host.exe
  • early human-facing Studio host for opening legacy VFP assets and previewing schema/records
  • now supports --json snapshots for Visual Studio designer integration
  • now supports --list-subsystems to inspect the planned VFP 9-equivalent Copperfin subsystem map
  • now emits a structured reportLayout snapshot for FRX/FRT and LBX/LBT assets with named sections and placed objects
  • now emits native database-federation metadata for relational, document, and vector connector planning in the shared VS/Studio shells
• build\Release\copperfin_build_host.exe
  • native package/build pipeline entry point for PJX/PJT projects
  • stages project assets, emits runtime and debug manifests, bundles the runtime host, and can publish a generated .NET launcher
• build\Release\copperfin_runtime_host.exe
  • native runtime/debug launch host for packaged Copperfin applications
  • reads app.cfmanifest and now executes PRG startup code through a native xBase runtime session
  • supports real breakpoint and step-debugging actions for PRG startup paths
  • now emits richer debug state including call stack, locals, globals, and runtime events for debugger surfaces in Visual Studio and standalone Studio
  • now tracks richer VFP-style compatibility state for work areas, aliases, table cursors, data sessions, SQL pass-through cursors, and OLE automation objects in debug output
  • runtime faults now pause on the offending source line and keep the host session alive for continued debugging
  • the VSIX now registers a FoxPro text content type for PRG, H, QPR, MPR, and SPR files with project-aware statement completion and first-pass hover help in Visual Studio
  • now bootstraps runnable SCX/VCX/MNX startup behavior through generated PRG wrappers
  • now boots runnable FRX/LBX startup assets into direct preview/event-loop mode instead of treating them as inert metadata
  • packaged SCX/VCX startup assets now stage their memo sidecars and can launch from packaged content instead of only from source trees
  • now recognizes ACTIVATE MENU / ACTIVATE POPUP as real event-loop runtime operations
  • now supports dispatching runtime actions back into waiting xAssets through --debug-command select:<action-id> and --debug-command invoke:<action-id>
  • menu startup assets can now dispatch real menu-item selections while paused in the event loop
  • runtime xAsset execution now loads the full backing table instead of only the small Studio preview slice, so deeper menu trees and later records can participate in execution
  • form/class/report/label method surfaces now expose dispatchable runtime actions derived from extracted xBase methods
  • DO FORM now resolves quoted paths cleanly and launches runnable forms into the event loop instead of treating them like one-shot helper scripts
  • still reports compatibility-mode launch information for non-runnable xAssets and other startup assets while those runtimes are under construction
• vsix\Copperfin.VisualStudio\Copperfin.VisualStudio.csproj
  • installable Visual Studio extension baseline for VS 2022+
  • current output: vsix\Copperfin.VisualStudio\bin\Release\net472\Copperfin.VisualStudio.vsix
  • registers a first Copperfin Visual Designer document shell for PJX/SCX/VCX/FRX/LBX/MNX
  • now provides first-pass FoxPro editor assistance for PRG/H/QPR/MPR/SPR, including project-aware completion, Quick Info, call signature help, and F12 definition navigation for indexed project symbols and assets
  • current shell shows object/property snapshots sourced from the native Studio host
  • current SCX/SCT and VCX/VCT slices expose flattened VFP PROPERTIES data for inline object selection, design-surface layout, drag-move, and safe property edits
  • current FRX/FRT and LBX/LBT slices now surface named report sections in a more modern Visual Studio-style designer shell, with section-aware layout editing for HPOS/VPOS/WIDTH/HEIGHT plus key expression/font fields
  • current MNX/MNT slices support asset-aware property-grid editing for menu metadata
  • current PJX/PJT slices now surface a grouped project workspace with project-item grouping, startup/build-plan summary, and project-entry property editing
  • project workspaces now also surface the platform's native security/RBAC posture and .NET/Python/MCP extensibility story
  • project workspaces now include a first integrated debugger pane backed by the native runtime host, with pause reason, call stack, locals, globals, and runtime-event summaries
  • project workspaces now include shared Task List, Code References, Data Explorer, Object Browser, Toolbox, Builders, Coverage, and Database panes so the IDE surface is moving toward classic VFP utility windows instead of only showing a build summary
  • project workspaces now explicitly surface user-selected AI debugging assistance plus Python/R data-science sidecar guidance inside the modern extensibility story
  • project workspaces now expose a native database-federation profile that distinguishes deterministic relational translation from optional AI-assisted document/vector planning
• vsix\Copperfin.Studio\Copperfin.Studio.csproj
  • standalone Windows shell that reuses the same shared report/label/form/menu/project designer controls outside Visual Studio
  • now opens multiple assets as tabs so the managed shell feels more like an IDE workspace instead of a single-document dialog
  • now shares the same first integrated project debugger pane used by the Visual Studio designer shell
  • current output: vsix\Copperfin.Studio\bin\Release\net472\Copperfin.Studio.exe
• vsix\Copperfin.DesignerSmokeTests\Copperfin.DesignerSmokeTests.csproj
  • automated WinForms smoke tests for the shared designer UI
  • current output: vsix\Copperfin.DesignerSmokeTests\bin\Release\net472\Copperfin.DesignerSmokeTests.exe
  • exercises synthetic rendering plus real invoice.frx, cust.lbx, and solution.pjx assets from the local VFP 9 sample tree
  • now smoke-tests the shared project debugger, task list, code references, data explorer, object browser, toolbox, builders, coverage, and database surfaces against a real VFP sample project

Quick examples:

E:\Project-Copperfin\build\Release\copperfin_studio_host.exe --from-vs --path "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual FoxPro 9\Wizards\Template\Books\Forms\books.scx"
E:\Project-Copperfin\build\Release\copperfin_studio_host.exe "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual FoxPro 9\Samples\Solution\solution.pjx"
E:\Project-Copperfin\build\Release\copperfin_inspect.exe "E:\DBASE\DBFS\CHNGREAS.NDX"
E:\Project-Copperfin\build\Release\copperfin_build_host.exe build --project "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual FoxPro 9\Samples\Solution\solution.pjx" --output-dir "E:\Project-Copperfin\artifacts\runtime-smoke" --configuration debug --enable-security --emit-dotnet-launcher
E:\Project-Copperfin\scripts\validate-windows.ps1

GitHub validation:

• .github/workflows/native-validation.yml runs the portable native CMake build and CTest suite on hosted Linux, macOS, and Windows runners for pushes, pull requests, and manual dispatch.
• .github/workflows/build-installers.yml remains focused on packaging standalone installer artifacts and intentionally builds with tests disabled.
• .github/workflows/windows-deep-validation.yml is manual dispatch only and runs a deeper Windows hosted build across native tests, VSIX, standalone Studio, and designer smoke test binaries.

Current MVP scope:

• open PJX/PJT, SCX/SCT, VCX/VCT, FRX/FRT, LBX/LBT, MNX/MNT, DBF/FPT, CDX/DCX, IDX, NDX, and MDX
• inspect headers and companion files
• preview DBF-style schema and a small number of records
• decode memo-backed preview values for synthetic and many real sidecar-backed assets

Known limitation:

• memo-heavy real-world designer files still need deeper VFP-specific decoding and presentation polish before they feel like a true visual designer
• the Visual Studio extension and standalone Studio now provide a shared project debugger pane on top of the native runtime/debug host, but they still do not provide full VFP 9-style design fidelity or the full FoxPro/VFP runtime surface
• packaged runtime output is now good enough to launch runnable SCX/VCX/MNX startup assets from staged package content, but broader asset-family execution and deeper event/lifecycle fidelity still need work
• packaged runtime output is now good enough to launch runnable SCX/VCX/MNX/FRX/LBX startup assets from staged package content, but deeper event/lifecycle fidelity still needs work
• runtime action dispatch now covers menu selection and extracted method invocation, but higher-fidelity form/report object lifecycle, richer UI event simulation, and broader runtime semantics still need work
• runtime execution no longer truncates to the Studio preview record limit, which improves parity for deeper MNX submenu trees and other larger xAssets
• the new standalone Studio shell shares the same editor stack, but it is still an early shell rather than the finished full-fidelity Copperfin IDE
• the standalone Studio shell now supports tabbed multi-document editing, but it still needs richer IDE chrome and workflow parity before it feels like the full VFP 9 experience
• the new project utility panes are strong parity progress, but they are still summary-driven surfaces rather than the full interactive VFP 9 Project Manager, Data Explorer, Object Browser, Coverage, and builder ecosystem