Hi Al,

>Another approach would be to just initially return a COUNT( ) from any query the user specifies. If that value is too high, warn the user to be more specific. And/or warn the user if returning that value takes too long.

That's exactly what I'm doing at this moment, warning the user and asking if he wants to proceed or cancel. But I wanted, even if he decided to proceed, to give him an opportunity to cancel HIS SQL command at any moment.

This program I'm talking about, is not an end user app, it is an utility program addressed to programmers. In the whole program I don't use SQL commands at all, just 2 ou 3 Select Count(*), to give some feedback to the user. That what this is all about: warning and feedbacks. My problem is not about SQL syntax or commands. It's all at the user's hand, and he will decide what to do. That's why I need SQLExecs contained within loops, to test for [Esc] pressed to interrupt at any moment.

If you folks have the will and time, you can see the program running for yourselves, and check what I'm talking about.

The name of the utility is PocketFox, what it does and (if you like) download it, can be found here: http://www.umdrinknoinferno.com/?page_id=13551

BTW: I never used PostgreSQL in my life, but the utility intends do access different database servers, at this moment it implements SQL Server, Oracle, PostgreSQL and VFP via ODBC (for those non VFP programmers that have to access VFP tables via ODBC). So, friends give me sample databases and the ODBC stuff and I use them do develop the utility. This time I'm dealing with PostgreSQL (hope soon to include MySQL and Sybase ADS).

Anyway, there must be a way (I sure believe in that!) to do what I want.