Hi James -

I can't comment on using the data environment since I open my tables, view, set relationships in the Load event of my form. (This method was recommended to me during a class I took when first learning VFP and I've used it ever since)
However, after working with both views and set relationship commands, I definately prefer using views (which you can create using the view designer if they're simple or programatically if you've got a more complicated situation, the later being my preference). In that way, you're dealing with the same control source for all the controls and get skip the relationship business altogether. I always hated that, and am slowing replacing code which used relationships with views.

Sylvia

>is it easier when using multiple tables to tie them together in a form with the data enviroment by setting up there relationships or is it easier to code what different values your boxes will have based off a your key values in another file and indexing the rest of the files accordingly