>>>What I'd like to see
>>>is an independent DE that could be manipulated without the need
>>>for either a Form or Report.
>>I think we already have that now, if you do it in code: you can create a DE
>>class object and instantiate it in the Form.Load or the
>>Report.DE.BeforeOpenTables....
>From what I understand, allowing FoxPro to open the tables (as opposed to
>writing the code yourself) is faster. If you subclass the DE, you've got to
>write this code (which means there's more to maintain),

Actually, no: you add the cursor objects to the DE and then tell the DE to open them. You aren't using xBase commands for this....

>Another reason would be that you have a couple of tables which are used in a
>form and also to generate a report. Again, you have two indentical DEs.

I don't think this applies, either. I haven't tested it, but it seems you could instantiate your custom DE in the DE of the Report (BeforeOpenTables?).