>>>>>>>>>I have a file called datconv with a memo field into which I have appended the data from dat files
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>But when i try to process the memo fields much of the data is missing - my reasoning is that I am missing data because reading the dat file into the memo field in the first instance had created 2-3 lines in the memo field because of its length
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>On the assumption that the dat files have very long lines lets say over 500 characters how can I create a dbf file from them - the data has no formatting
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Hope this is understandable
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>The only important factor I see, is that the memo field is "memo binary".
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>what does that mean and what do I do?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Binary memo fields won't get translated according to the code page, as opposed to normal memo fields.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-US/library/65sc733b(v=vs.80).aspx
>>>>>
>>>>>How then can I manipulate the original dat file with variable and very long fields?
>>>>
>>>>I don't understand, is this question related to your first? You can use filetostr() to get the data into the memo field, "replace yourfield with filetostr('yourfile.dat')".
>>>
>>>I have tried that
>>>
>>>My problem is that each dat file consists of a single entry of several hundred characters - how do I get that into a VFP table?
>>
>>You try to store DAT file into MEMO field or trying to do something else?
>>If you want to store DATE file into MEMO field - just DON'T.
>>Store path to this file.
>
>I dont need to store it as a memo field
>
>Lets assume that the dat file is a single line 600 characters long with no separators - how do I get that into a VFP table of say 6 fields each of 100 characters?

You use a series of Substr() to split the line into separate fields.