>>>I don't see a problem with the object here. For me this looks like a safe code.
>>
>>

>>yourunknown = CREATEOBJECT([EMPTY])
>>? VARTYPE(m.yourunknown)
>>

>>
>>Just because objects are memory variables also.
>
>Right, it would be O, I think. So, what is the problem with the code above? vartype(m.unknown) = 'O', so it's not a field.
>

>vartype(unknown) <> "U" and vartype(m.unknown) = 'U'
>  This is a field - no exceptions except for the case of select m as an alias

Maybe, I'm not sure right now, but if you said so, it should work.
I used Tore's code always WHEN I use with CLIPPER.
Now I prefer NOT to use variables with the same name as fields :-)