>>FP 2.5 - I did not use that much as version 2.6 seemed better. Seems like that was around 1993?
>>
>>
>>>>>>>We are in the process of modifiying a FP 2.5 which we have not worked on in a long time.
>>>>>>>When we open most of the tables and browse, many of the field names have been appended by an 'a' such as 'datereq' becomes 'datereqa'. When we modify the structure the field name is correctly 'datereq'. The 'select' command fails because it is looking for 'datereq' but 'datereqa' is extracted.
>>>>>>>We even tried opening the table in work area 'c' to see if 'c' would be appended but the field name is appended with an 'a'.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Unfortunately we are under enormous pressure to complete these program modifications.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Thank you for all suggestions.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>A SQL command where two tables are joined and the same field name exists in both tables with give you field1_a, field2_a, field1_b, field2_b.
>>>>>Mike,
>>>>>Yes, I know.
>>>>>But, a simple 'use' and 'browse' of a dbf should not append a 'a' (not _a) to the field name.
>>>>
>>>>That's the first thing that came to mind. Could you email me one of the files?
>>>We were becoming quite desperate and opened the file from another workstation. The field names were fine!
>>>It is interesting that this problem existed on a W98 PC. When we opened from a XP PRO computer the field names were OK.
>>>Something is probably corrupt on the W98 computer.
>>>Or, there is some weird 'set'ting that we have forgotten about in the past decade.
>>>If it is the later, then I think the results should be the same if you exit FP, delete the foxuser, use the table and browse on 2 computers.
>>>The list of reasons for keeping the W98 computer around is shrinking.
>
>Is it possible that the header may have been modified somehow and allowed two fields by same name... almost like edited to long field names as if modified in a lter version of VFP... Then, if trying to open under old foxpro, doesn't like the long names and applies the similar truncation / extension as described earlier...
>
>ex: LongFieldName1, LongFieldName2 would become
>LongFiel_a, LongFiel_b
>
>much like long path names when doing a DOS level DIR and you get the files with the ~ char as an 8.3 qualified file name...
keying modi stru from the command prompt displayed proper field names. Also, there were no underscores visible during our hitting our collective heads against the wall.