>>>

>>>REPLICATE(' ',10-LEN(ALLTRIM(REFERENCE)))
>>>

...
>>>Now the above code does not work. The SQL Select returns the error:
>>>

>>>String is too long to fit.

>>>If I change the 10 in the above REPLICATE with 15, no error.  
>>>REPLICATE(' ',15-LEN(ALLTRIM(REFERENCE)))
>>>

Just a thought (hope nobody elese in the thread below also has already mentioned it)
this error can crop up with negative 2nd parameter. so if somewhen len (alltr()) .EQ. 11...

HTH
thomas