Samples & Learning Path

FiveWin ships with over 1,000 sample programs organized in the samples/ directory. This guide maps them into a structured learning path so you can progress from your first "Hello World" to advanced AI-powered applications.

Learning Path Overview

The diagram below shows the recommended progression. Start with the tutorials in start/, branch out through intermediate topics that interest you, then tackle the advanced folders when you are comfortable with the fundamentals.

Green = Beginner   Blue = Intermediate   Red = Advanced

First Steps: Your First 5 Samples

If you are completely new to FiveWin, work through these five samples in order. Each one builds on what you learned in the previous one:

After these five, continue with tutor06.prg (databases), tutor07.prg (advanced dialogs), and tutor08.prg (putting it all together).

How to Build Samples

The samples/ directory contains several build scripts. The recommended approach for new projects:

cd c:\fwteam\samples

REM Build a sample with Borland C++ (32-bit, most common):
buildh.bat start\tutor01

REM Build with MSVC 64-bit:
buildh64.bat start\tutor01

REM The universal build script (auto-detects compiler):
build_new.bat start\tutor01

Each build script compiles the .prg file with Harbour, then compiles and links the resulting C code with the chosen compiler. See the Build System page for full details.

Beginner: start/ (8 samples)

The tutorial series walks you through every fundamental FiveWin concept, one file at a time. Each .prg file is short (under 50 lines) and heavily commented.

Intermediate Samples

database/ (19 samples)

Database operations including DBF browse, indexed searching, SQL queries via ADO/ODBC, and TXBrowse grid integration. Start with the basic DBF examples before moving to SQL.

data/ (16 samples)

The TDatabase and TDataRow classes provide a higher-level abstraction over raw DBF operations. Data binding, calculated fields, and record navigation.

menus/ (14 samples)

All menu types: pull-down menus, popup/context menus, ribbon bars, system tray menus. Covers dynamic menu creation, bitmap menus, and owner-draw menus.

report/ (41 samples)

Printing and report generation with TPrinter and TReport. Includes PDF export, multi-column layouts, barcodes, charts in reports, and print preview.

graphics/ (28 samples)

GDI+ drawing, chart creation, bitmap manipulation, image loading/saving, alpha blending, and gradient fills. Demonstrates the Graphics, Pen, Brush, and GDIBmp classes.

mail/ (5 samples)

Email sending via SMTP, receiving via POP3, and Outlook integration through OLE automation.

ole/ (8 samples)

OLE Automation examples for Microsoft Word, Excel, and other COM applications. Create documents, fill spreadsheets, and control Office applications programmatically.

trees/ (5 samples)

TTreeView control examples: building tree structures, drag-and-drop between trees, XML-based tree loading, and custom node rendering.

comm/ (10 samples)

Serial port communications, modem control, barcode scanner integration, and hardware device communication.

unicode/ (2 samples)

Unicode string handling, multi-script text display, and UTF-8/UTF-16 conversion. Use FW_SetUnicode( .T. ) to enable Unicode mode globally.

Advanced Samples

ai/ (47 samples)

The newest and most exciting area of FiveWin. Integrations with multiple AI providers and even a pure-Harbour neural network implementation.

web/ (39 samples)

WebView2 browser embedding, HTTP server creation, WebSocket connections, REST API clients, and JavaScript-to-Harbour interop.

system/ (41 samples)

System-level programming: Windows registry, system services, DLL calls, process management, clipboard operations, environment variables, and more.

FiveUI/ (17 samples)

The FiveWin Visual Forms Designer. Design dialogs visually and generate .prg source code automatically. See also the visual/ directory at the project root for the full Visual IDE.

misc/ (467 samples)

The largest collection, covering virtually every FiveWin feature. When you need to see how a specific class or function works, search here first. Notable sub-topics:

• calexmaria.prg — TCalex appointment calendar with MySQL/MariaDB CRUD, drag-and-drop move between days, RC dialog editing (new in 26.05)
• Drag and drop, clipboard, system tray
• Splitter bars, docking panels
• Image viewers, video playback
• Cryptography, hashing, encoding
• File operations, ZIP/GZIP compression
• Custom control painting, owner-draw

test/ (317 samples)

The FiveWin test suite and additional examples. Many of these are regression tests that also serve as documentation for edge cases and specific feature behaviors.

bigexe/ (16 samples)

Complete, larger application examples that combine multiple FiveWin features into real-world programs. Study these to understand how to structure a full FWH application with menus, toolbars, multiple dialogs, database access, and reporting.

Complete Sample Directory

Tips for Learning from Samples

• Read the source code. Every .prg file is plain text. Open it in any editor. The code is the documentation.
• Modify and experiment. Change a color, add a button, swap a database. Rebuild and see what happens. FiveWin compiles fast.
• Use MsgInfo() for debugging. Insert MsgInfo( cVariable ) anywhere to inspect values at runtime. It is the FiveWin developer's best friend.
• Search misc/ when stuck. With 467 samples, there is almost certainly an example of whatever you need. Use your editor's "search in files" feature.
• Look at the .ch include files. Commands like DEFINE WINDOW are translated by the preprocessor. Check FiveWin.ch to see what they expand to.
• Cross-reference with docs. When a sample uses a class like TXBrowse, open the TXBrowse documentation alongside the code.
• Join the community. The FiveTech forums are active and welcoming. Post questions with your sample code.

Anatomy of a FiveWin Sample

Every sample follows the same basic structure:

#include "FiveWin.ch"     // Required: loads all FWH commands

function Main()           // Entry point

   local oWnd             // Declare local variables

   DEFINE WINDOW oWnd ... // Create UI objects using commands
   ACTIVATE WINDOW oWnd   // Start the event loop

return nil

The #include "FiveWin.ch" line is essential — it loads the preprocessor commands that translate high-level syntax like DEFINE WINDOW into class method calls.

Next Steps

• Build System — Set up your compiler and build your first sample
• TDialog — Master dialog-based interfaces (used in most samples)
• TXBrowse — The most powerful grid control (used in database samples)
• More Classes — Additional classes with examples