Thanks Thomas regarding classes and methods and "PDM" sounds like a great tool, I will check it out.

Regarding "favorite pattern" the original developer is unavailable, and the company maintaining it has limited knowledge of VFP.

>Still, your idea of "normal change" may differ from them. I'd look for No. of Parameters in methods/functions:
>too many parameters smell of "Eierlegegende Wollmilchsau" (does everything, but nothing perfect).
>
>I prefer rather flat class hierarchies and a few objects coupled tigether vias factory: great flexibility
>without the brittleness of deep classes, where you need to refactor often.
>
>Ask for their favorite pattern and why they use it in the app.
>Try PDM, doc wizard, one app on vfpX and a tool to find undeclared vars.
>
>my 0.02 EUR
>
>thomas