That does not work for me; no output appears.

>Activate Window debug
>Tools-Options
>Shift-OK
>This will show the settings in the Debug Output window
>
>>Do you have any unusual codepage set, or SET COLLATE?
>>
>>ISTR there's a keystroke command that dumps all the SETs to the Command Window (IIRC), but I can't remember what it is. Anyone?
>>
>>Could you post the results of that, or of LIST STATUS?
>>
>>>I did all that you suggested with no success, and I am using VFP 9 SP2.
>>>
>>>I have always had this problem, and I have seen it work on other people's computers, but never on mine.
>>>
>>>
>>>>>

>>>>>lx = "Zip Code"
>>>>>ly = "Zip"
>>>>>at(ly,lx) 
>>>>>

>>>>>returns 0 instead of 1
>>>>> ...
>>>>
>>>>I tried this both with Visual FoxPro 6 and Visual FoxPro 9, and it works as expected, returning 1. I assume you add a question mark to the left of at(ly,lx) - I added it.
>>>>
>>>>Additional considerations:
>>>>

at() is case-sensitive. You can use atc() instead, if you want to find text in any case.
>>>>

You may want to issue the command SET STEP ON right before you use the at() command, to check whether the variables really have the expected values.
>>>>

Also watch out for invisible characters, like spaces. Chec, in the debugger, whether len(ly) (in the example) corresponds to what you would expect from the visible part.
>>>>

I believe you didn't mention the version of Visual FoxPro, nor the service-pack you are using (if any). It is possible that some versions of Visual FoxPro have a flaw; but I consider this possibility remote in this case; at least, I didn't hear of version-specific problems for this particular command.
>>>>
>>>>HTH,
>>>>
>>>>Hilmar.