>Hi Colin,
>
>>Forgot to say that by Googling anf manually correcting town names I have been able to build up a dictionary of names and characters which I am now using in STRCONV()
>
>STRCONV() doesn't need a dictionary. You only pass a code that indicates from where to where you want to convert. STRCONV(field,11) would be what you need, that is, converting from UTF-8 to plain text.
>
>Could it be that you are thinking of STRTRAN()?

I create a dictionary of the town names in their unconverted from with another column showing how I wish them to appear. I then apply that dictionary back to my original table and my problem is solved - but you are correct in saying that the conversion process uses STRTRAN()

Colin