I think vartype came in VFP6, so it this code has a long history, it explains it.

>Could it be that in the days of yore VARTYPE does not work with unkown names? VFP 5.0 or so? I feel puzzled.
>
>>Yes :) much less typing :)
>>
>>>You mean instead of
>>>

If  !TYPE("loWord") = 'O' or ISNULL(loWord)) THEN

>>>?
>>>
>>>(+.+)(-.-)(_ _)
>>>
>>>Agnes
>>>
>>>>Just use vartype() :)
>>>>