>>>>Here's a funny one. No biggie but a bit annoying.
>>>>
>>>>I use the following code to generate a fairly unique filename for my exported XLS file, incorporating today's date + a random no. suffix, in case several XLSs are generated in one session/day, so they don't need to keep typing in a new name. This has been working fine till today. But today it keeps giving 851 and 856 (and others similar) off my m/c AND the 2 users' m/cs, such that my code, and Excel's interface keep asking if want overwrite.
>>>>
>>>>

>>>>lcRandNum	  = ALLTRIM( STR( INT( RAND() * 1000)))
>>>>lcDateStr	  = ALLTRIM( DTOC( DATE()))
>>>>lcDateStr	  = STRTRAN( lcDateStr, "-", "_") + lcRandNum
>>>>lcFilePath = PUTFILE("Export Results", "S" + lcDateStr, "XLS")
>>>>

>>>>
>>>>Both when testing and today I've been issuing:
>>>>
>>>>? STR( INT( RAND() * 1000))
>>>>
>>>>repeatedly at the command line with expected varied results. Any ideas?
>>>>
>>>>'ppreciate it
>>>>
>>>>Terry
>>>
>>>uses RAND() for this task is wrong.
>>
>>How so, amd why not suggest an alternative? It's just a cheap & cheerful way of generating a (fairly) unigue file name.
>
>RAND() is not an unique generator.
>
>every sequential generator is a solution.
>
>this is a partial solution:
>

>#define TIMENAME   '_'+DTOS(DATE())+' '+CHRTRAN(TIME(1),':.','$$')
>

That's one solution - back-to-front date, not very recognisable, etc.

:-)