>>>42 means it was a successful code (according to http://www.oehive.org/node/528 )
>>>
>>>If you exit from the loop after the first iteration, does the output file get created? Looks like you will need to debug this external app.
>>
>>Exiting from the loop (or not) makes no difference; no output is created. I'm thinking the same. Unfortunately the external app is not mine, so debugging is harder. And especially since running it from a CMD window OR from the VFP command line does produce output. Very FRUSTRATING.
>
>In this case it looks like may be some settings in your application are affecting it? Can you get a list of all your settings?
>
>Also, if you create a simple program to run this app only (no SETs command), does the output get created?

That last is a good idea; I will try it and see.