It turns out it is some problem with the way the dll was written and the way VFP handles variables. Here's whatthe company have said:

"- FoxPro seems to type all variables as "Variant" rather than using strict
variable typing (like Integer, Float, String, Object, etc.)

- As a result of this, FoxPro doesn't communicate properly with COM objects
that use Microsoft's standard type conventions for passing data back and
forth"

They have a dll used for ASP and that seems to be getting me closer.

Thanks.

>You got it. Now if the second call did not work perhaps it is due to the Database class being a member of the Netrics class. Maybe there is a method or property of the Netrics class where you can obtain an instance of the Database object, something like:
>
>myNetricsDb = myNetricsObject.GetDb("Test")
>
>or
>
>myNetricsDb = myNetricsObject.DatabaseObject
>
>Check the docs if you have them, or test about with the intellisense in the command window.
>
>>Thanks,
>>
>>let me just confirm that I am following your instructions properly:
>>
>>1. Opened Object Browser
>>2. Opened the type library for the com object
>>3. Clicked on the name of the library in the tree view in the browser
>>4. Copied the guid from the information display at the bottom of th eobject browser
>>5. Ran regedt32 and did a find for the guid.
>>6. This displayed a typelib and 2 entries above that a progid.
>>7. Copied the data from the progid ("Netrics.Netrics.1") to the command window and did a ox = createobject("Netrics.Netrics.1").
>>8. This worked, to an extent.
>>9. I also did oxDB = CREATEOBJECT("netrics.database.1")
>>10. Then oxDB.Name = "Test"
>>11. then I get the error OLE error code 0x8002801d: Library not registered.
>>
>>Did I do the right thing?
>>
>>>OK, click on the NetricsLib branch in the o.browser and notice the guid and file name (dll) at the bottom. Find this in the registry looking for a key called "ProgID" associated with the entry.
>>>
>>>If it's there look at the data for it, you should be able to CreateObject this. If it's not there then maybe the library cannot be used this way.
>>>
>>>>Thanks, I forgot about the Object Browser (I'm using VFP9). Now if I can only make sense of what I am seeing. I found the Netrics stuff and opened it. It displays as NETRICSLib and it has a class called Netrics.
>>>>
>>>>I tried ox = createobject("Netricslib.netrics") and get the error about the class definition not being found.
>>>>
>>>>It seems the vendors are able to duplicate my problems (but not consistently) so it is apparently some problem with the library, but wish I could make more sense of it.
>>>>
>>>>>It sounds like you have VFP7 or newer, why don't you check the Tools->Object browser->COM libraries?
>>>>>
>>>>>If you can find it you should be able to identify the callable classes.
>>>>>
>>>>>>Hey Borislav,
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I'm still having some problems! :(
>>>>>>
>>>>>>If I do
>>>>>>
>>>>>>loNetrics = createobject("netrics.netrics")
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I can then get the intellisense working when I type loNetrics. in the command window, but I get an error when trying to execute the command:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>OLE error code 0x8002801d: Library not registered.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Stranger still, if I create a PRG and declare this:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>LOCAL loNetrics as
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I get intellisense showing NetricsLib in the list!
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Now I'm completely confused.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Thanks for any help you (or anyone else) can offer.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Found the Netrics keys in the registry (using Regedt32, not regsvr32 :)).
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>What do you mean by "check the whole key"? Do you mean the CLSID? What do I do with it?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Just in case this makes any difference, the com objects are supposed tobe in a DLL, which is what was registered on the PC.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Thanks.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>OK,
>>>>>>>>>Open registry with regsvr32. Open HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT and search for SearchOpts. If you found it check whole key.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>No, not CLSID. I mean the Text in the Node of the treeview that is above CLSID node :-)