>>>My program has the following code
>>>
>>>datexo=LEFT(datx,2)+"/"+monato+"/20"+SUBSTR(datx,8,2)+" "+SUBSTR(datx,11,6)+":00"
>>>
>>>which results in a data like 28/10/2015 10:30:00 still in character format
>>>
>>>its then appended into a date time field
>>>
>>>This works fine as long as I run it from inside VFP on all machines
>>>
>>>But if I run it as a scheduled service or from Explorer on 1 machine the date time field is blank although the character format is the same 28/10/2015 10:30:00
>>>
>>>What is the problem?
>>>
>>
>>I don't know what the specific problem is, but there's no reason to build a datetime that way. Use the DATETIME() function and then, you're not dependent on the date format or anything else.
>>
>>

>>tDateTime = DATETIME(nYear, nMonth, nDay, nHour, nMinute, nSecond)
>>

>>
>>I'll leave it to you to figure out how to get those values from what you have in hand.
>>
>>Tamar
>
>I have tried the fields in the expression as characters and then as numeric ant it fails both times - should they be character or numeric?

Colin,

if you have a VFP function or command. Try on comand window

HELP command

for your problem

HELP DATETIME

Usualy there comes a window that gives a description in english. It shows the sense of the comand, parameters with there type and use and return values and side effects if any. On VFPX there is a more recent version that fixes some stuff, but in general it works as is.
This is called a help system. It gives answers for simple questions.

And please learn to use the tags like pre in UniversalThread. If you do not know how, just try to reply to this message. Look at my lines, there are two sections wrapped in pre tags that made code formated. It's very simple. Also there is a place where some letters are bold.

Protip:
in DATETIME(nYear, nMonth, nDay, nHour, nMinute, nSecond) from above the
n indicates the datatype. This is numeric.
This is called hungarian notation.