thanks Thierry - good advice - will do.
k

>1/ == is safer than $ (eg, also matches 'xlsx1')
>2/ Lower() on the shortest string is faster
>

>if Lower(Justext(m.lcFileName)) == 'xlsx'
>

>
>>I realize after I wrote this that I can force the variable into lower case as a solution
>>lower(lcFileName)
>>I assume the characters XLSX and xlsx are different species in terms of ansi numbers and that it may not be possible to reconcile.
>>k
>>
>>>is there a function that accepts upper AND lower case - right now my program (excerpt below) only detects lower
>>>
>>>

>>>if 'xlsx' $ Justext(lcFileName)  = .T.
>>>