I ran your code in FPD 2.6a and don't see extra blank items in the list. If you want the first item to be slected initially, add following line

...
m.cat = ITEMS(1)
@ 3,1 SAY '                ' GET m.cat PICTURE '@^' FROM ITEMS DEFAULT ITEMS(1)
...

>When the list of items comes up, the first 8 items are blank, then all sixteen are in the list after that.
>
>Whats wrong with this code?
>
>

>M.PMONTH=""
>M.IAMOUNT=0
>M.VAT=0
>M.CAT=""
>
>RELEASE ITEMS
>DECLARE ITEMS(16)
>ITEMS(1)='CONF'
>ITEMS(2)='CIGS'
>ITEMS(3)='TEMP LABOUR'
>ITEMS(4)='MOTOR'
>ITEMS(5)='CARRIAGE'
>ITEMS(6)='LIGHT'
>ITEMS(7)='PH_FX'
>ITEMS(8)='PPSA'
>ITEMS(9)='REPRS'
>ITEMS(10)='SUNDR'
>ITEMS(11)='BANK CHARGES'
>ITEMS(12)="LEASE/RENTAL"
>ITEMS(13)="SEC SERVICE"
>ITEMS(14)="H&S SERVICES"
>ITEMS(15)="FIXED ASSETS"
>ITEMS(16)="PROF&AC FEES"
>
>@ 3,1 SAY '                ' GET m.cat PICTURE '@^' FROM ITEMS DEFAULT ITEMS(1)
>m.pyear = right(str(year(date())),2)
>@ $,$+2 get m.pyear picture '99'
>@ 4,1 SAY 'Posting Catgory:'
>@ 7,1 say 'Posting Month  :'
>READ
>

>
>Any help apreciated