The problem with DCOM in this instance is that since DCOM is connection based, if the client loses connection to the remote object the process will terminate without returning the results, which could be very frustrating if it happens after, say, 2 hours and 59 minutes...

You could try something like this:

Crate a Web page where the user could submit his/her request. Put the request into a queue - say, a table. Then have a roving VFP session - either run independently or running as a service (see srvany32 - I can give you some info on that if you need it) with a timer check the queue periodically and execute the process if it encounters a new request.

You don't want to run the request directly from within the Web page because having a page with a 3 hour compilation time will effectively kill your Web server and probably prevent other requests during that time.

>I need to have a user 1,000 miles away kick off a VFP
>program on a local machine. I anticipate the remote
>user to use the Internet and submit a request to a
>local PC. This locall PC will then run a VFP program
>that takes about 3 hours to run. The end result should
>then be sent via email to the user.
>
>Sounds like a job for remote automation or DCOM. Never
>used either one so I could sure use some pointers. Does
>the PC that will run the VFP program need to be a server?
>
>Any help offered will certainly be appreciated...