>>What level of scoping do I set a variable to in a procedure within a PRG so that it is available throughout the program? Do I have to define them at the program level before any procedures that contain them are called? Hate using PUBLIC if I don't have to.
>
>If you set the variable private it would be visible down in the calling chain.

Actually, that's not correct - as long as a variable isn't LOCAL it will be 'visible' to any called modules.

The purpose of PRIVATE is to hide any *previous* instance of the same variable name, beginning at where the PRIVATE is declared and continuing through any called module. A PRIVATE declaration does not cause the creation of any memory variable.