>Hi again
>I have found that using SELECT * from anytable where cond1=cond2 etc.. very fast.
>It is when my select has 57 fields from 3 tables and a search criteria varaible that looks like this...
>&SQLString="BETWEEN(num1,num2) AND INLIST(Filed,A,B,C,D) AND ALLTRIM(UPPER(STATE) = ALLTRIM(UPPER(STATE)) AND AND AND etc.." upto perhaps 20 criteria.
>
>SELECT Field1,Field2 - Field57;
>+WHERE t1.Key=t1.Key etc. etc.;
>+&SQLString;
>+etc... etc... INTO CURSOR MYCURSE. **(Pun Intended)**
>

If you're selecting from more tables, do a one-table select on the biggest one first, to narrow things down, then use the resulting cursor instead of the big table in the join select. This may speed things up.

Depending on the size of your table and the resulting recordset, you may get better results even on a single-table query if you use a simple filter on it first, then select with other criteria from it. Your mileage may vary, though.

Two more tips: use "a between b and c" instead of "between(a,b,c)" - the former is SQL, the later is Fox. The same goes for " a IN (b,c,...)" instead of "inlist(a,b,c,...)".