>this is my SPT string. My trouble is some querys have more than one opstc with a value of say 20. I would like to get the one with the largest opseq when that happens. Both of these fields are in the amflib6.morout table.
>
>

>pdm.sqlmo = "Select amflib6.momast.ordno, fitem, fdesc, citem, isqty, ostat, opstc, wkctr, opseq From amflib6.momast" +
>" Join amflib6.modata On amflib6.modata.ordno = amflib6.momast.ordno" +
>" Join amflib6.morout On amflib6.morout.ordno = amflib6.momast.ordno" +
>" Where fitem = '" + arg1.trim().toUpperCase() +
>"'And (opstc = '20' Or opstc = '30') And isqty > 0 And ostat < 45";
>

You are in big danger here, because you are open for SQL Injections,
What if you have this in arg1.Value:

';SELECT * FROM amflib6.momast --
You end up with this:

Select amflib6.momast.ordno, fitem, fdesc, citem, isqty, ostat, opstc, wkctr, opseq
       From amflib6.momast
Join amflib6.modata On amflib6.modata.ordno = amflib6.momast.ordno
Join amflib6.morout On amflib6.morout.ordno = amflib6.momast.ordno
Where fitem = ''; SELECT * FROM amflib6.momast--'And (opstc = '20' Or opstc = '30') And isqty > 0 And ostat < 45";

To your question, you can do this in your where clause IF there is only one field you must check, but joining derived table (as Naomi suggests) is usually faster.