>As a follow up to this problem. It turns out the bug was in my head. I had unknowingly included the XML files in my project. When I ran the application as an EXE, it referenced the files internally instead of going to the path where they resided.

FYI, there a good article about embedded files in VFP at http://spacefold.com/lisa/post/Straight-Talk-about-Built-In-Files.aspx