>Jose,
> Thank you for your reply. In regards to the business object you spoke of, can those rules be exposed to other applications. The reason I would like the rules at the database level is that I could program other languages against the back end and be assured that the data is not getting corrupted. Forgive my ignorance but I'm assuming that this is what automation servers are used for - to apply business logic to GUI front ends and data back ends. On another note I like your flaming red idea, I'm always on the lookout for graphical solutions for solving problems like that.
>

Mark,

Business objects are clearly the middle tier in a 3 tier implementation. And I can design them to have no visible interface. As you I suppose that's what automation servers are for. But I did not take that road yet. Another approach might be to store the validation rules in a table. CT Blankenship came with such a design in the August edition of FoxPro Advisor and it's worth to look at.

Regarding the flaming red idea, it's based on a FindControl routine that I found at www.stonefield.com site, in an article where Doug Hennigs implements error trapping for a VFP app. Excellent job!

José