>>When I do a manual import from a DATt file I am able to import it withall its columns separated fine
>>
>>But when I do an append from VFP into an existing file all I get is all the data in 1 field
>>
>>This is my code
>>
>>APPEND FROM g:\consignor\lastmanifest\consiga.dat TYPE sdf
>>
>>What should I be doing?
>
>There is no standard for a dat file, since dat is only short for Data. We need to know what character separates the fields, and whether there are any characters surrounding character fields. Unless each record is on a new line, we also need to know which character separates the records. Please copy a few lines from the dat file, and post them here.

Does this help?

SIMPLEHEAD1.00 Business Post Consignor Manifest 08/01/2015 000000011008012015180740
PRODVERS 1.00 Consignor 2.9.5.2 2.90 2.90 2.90 2.90
SERIALNUM 1.00 10029143
DOMESTIC 1.05 31200850002470IC030402 08012015 43 FRODSHAM STREET CHESTER CH1 3JJ 000100000200100000000000000NNN0000080120151807Gateway 080120151807N 0 N N
DOM_SUB 1.02 31200850002470I00010001000002BJM01 815984 ZIP YARD - CHESTER 10000000000 E
DOMESTIC 1.05 31200850002471IC030402 08012015 342 WIMBOURNE ROAD WINTON BOURNEMOUTH BH9 2HH 000100000200100000000000000NNN0000080120151807Gateway 080120151807N 0 N N
DOM_SUB 1.02 31200850002471I00010001000002BJM01 815985 ZIP YARD - BOURNEMOUTH E
DOMESTIC 1.05 31200850002472IC030402 08012015 7 OLD ELDON SQUARE NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE NE1 7JG 000100000200100000000000000NNN0000080120151807Gateway 080120151807N 0 N N
DOM_SUB 1.02 31200850002472I00010001000002BJM01 815986 QUICKSTITCH 10000000000 E
DOMESTIC 1.05 31200850002473IC030402 08012015 DRAKES DRIVE INDUSTRAL ESTATE LONG CRENDON AYLESBURY HP18 9BA 000100003000100000000000000NNN0000080120151807Gateway 080120151807N 0 N N
DOM_SUB 1.02 31200850002473I00010001000030BJM01 815987 GROVES & BANKS 10000000000 E