>>>I have a directly full of dbf tables (not attached to a dbc). Is there a way I can programmatically determine which tables have a column named "ifkey"?
>>>
>>>If not possible on a directory of free tables, would it be possible if they were attached to a DBC? How would you query this matter if they were atatched to a dbc?
>>
>>If all the tables are in a DBC........

>>SELECT cur1.objectname AS tablename ;
>>  FROM myDbc.dbc cur1;
>>     JOIN myDbc.dbc cur2 ON cur1.objectid = cur2.parentid;
>> WHERE cur2.objecttype = "Field" AND cur2.objectname = myFieldName

>>
>>If they're not in a DBC then try Naomi's loop
>
>A little more help from you?
>
>What would be the que query for "all tables that *do not* contain a field named [id]"?
>
>All tables are in a dbc.

You could get all the table names and then use the same query to filter out the ones with the field.

SELECT objectname FROM myDbc.dbc WHERE objecttype = "Table";
    AND objectname NOT IN ;
       (SELECT cur1.objectname AS tablename ;
         FROM myDbc.dbc cur1;
            JOIN myDbc.dbc cur2 ON cur1.objectid = cur2.parentid;
        WHERE cur2.objecttype = "Field" AND cur2.objectname = myFieldName)