thanks Al. simple solution - works.

k

>You could BROWSE the cursor.
>
>>Sorry Tore, I misstated the problem - there are no errors on the other hand it has no visible effect
>>I assumed the query table would open up to allow edit after the readwrite command.
>>
>>
>>>That should work. If not, please show the exact select statement you tried.
>>>
>>>>Thanks Al - it was the syntax I was having problem with -you had mentioned adding it to the final command thus
>>>>

>>>>INTO CURSOR Email READWRITE 
>>>>

>>>>which didn't work for me. - I was wondering if that was what you meant.
>>>>
>>>>k
>>>>
>>>>>READWRITE makes the Email cursor (the result of the SELECT query) act like a table. You can add or delete rows, change the existing contents etc. If you don't include READWRITE the cursor is read-only.
>>>>>
>>>>>>thanks again Al. Works very smoothly now.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>re the read write - not quite there yet, are you saying this would open the query table and allow input?
>>>>>>INTO CURSOR Email readwrite &&& not working ---- is that what you meant??
>>>>>>
>>>>>>k
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>I am getting an error read on the second line - anyone know why? tnx k
>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>CREATE CURSOR email (email C(40))
>>>>>>>>INSERT INTO Email (Email)     &&&  syntax error
>>>>>>>>select email from myDbf1 ;
>>>>>>>>UNION ;
>>>>>>>>SELECT email from myDBF2;
>>>>>>>>UNION ;
>>>>>>>>SELECT email from myDBF3;
>>>>>>>>UNION ;
>>>>>>>>SELECT email from myDBF4
>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>UNION eliminates duplicates so the resulting cursor will have all unique emails from your 4 DBFs.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>There are only supposed to be 2 commands in what you've shown; there should be a semicolon at the end of the 2nd line.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>You don't have to create the cursor in advance - a SQL SELECT can do it for you:
>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>SELECT email from myDBF1 ;
>>>>>>>UNION ;
>>>>>>>SELECT email from myDBF2 ;
>>>>>>>UNION ;
>>>>>>>SELECT email from myDBF3 ;
>>>>>>>UNION ;
>>>>>>>SELECT email from myDBF4 ;
>>>>>>>INTO CURSOR Email
>>>>>>>* if you need a read-write cursor you can add READWRITE to the very end of the above command
>>>>>>>