>Is there any way I can do a comparison from char to hex?
>
>

>retval=FREAD(f,3)
>if retval=0x4A6F65
>  do something
>endif
>

Since you're in VFP9, how about

retval=FREAD(f,3)
if retval=0h4A6F65
  do something
endif

Note the 0h instead of 0x.