I execute a SQL command to pull some fields into a cursor. Part of the select command is'{ } as mydate'. I've made
sure that the cursor is created with the readwrite and nofilter clauses. After the query, I then try to drop one of the columns
(please don't tell me to exclude it in the first place) using:

Alter table mytable drop column mycol

and I get the following error message, "Invalid operation for the cursor".

If I select "Help", it says, "An attempt was made to use the PACK command on a cursor."

If I suspend the program and modify the structure of the cursor (manually drop the column) no error is thrown.

I'm thinking that what I'd done manually should be capable of being done via code using the alter table...drop...command.
What am I doing wrong?

Now here's the weird part. If I exclude the part, '{ } as mydate' from the SQL, there is no problem.
So, I guess my question is, how do I get an empty date field in my cursor AND be able to execute ALTER TABLE...DROP COLUMN...?

TIA.