>>> From everything I've read using the native DE is faster in opening files and
>>setting relations because "the DE uses low level file operations".
>>
>>I'm not sure where you read that, but it's not true. When the DE opens a table it uses the same underyling technology that the USE command issues.
>
>I've been trying to find it Mike, but to this point I haven't been able to
>do so. It does occur to me though that the trade off in speed might be well
>worth the control gained from using one's own DE class.
>
>>What you do get with native DE's & cursor classes is poor error handling capabilities, zero re-use, a loss of flexibility (that you've already described), and duplication of effort. :)

I knew that I had see this Mike. I got this from the "Performance Tuning"
guide in the Online Docs. It says:

"Form/Object Performance

This section describes tips for improving the performance of objects in your application, particularly with respect to forms.

Use the Data Environment
By using the Data Environment of the Form Designer or Report Designer, table open performance is much faster than executing USE, SET ORDER, and SET RELATION commands in the form’s Load event. This is because Visual FoxPro uses low-level engine calls to open the tables and set up the indexes and relations."

My take is that assuming that you're going to open and close files only when
the form is loaded and that subsequent opens will be much faster, the
performance loss suffered by rolling your own I/O is vastly outweighed
by the control doing so affords (IMVHO).

Any new info on your 6.0 product?

...kt