>What if I don't want the error to show up for the user and I want just run a process on the side if the table is not used. I tried the error handler but I still saw a messagebox showing up on screen.
>

Try this:

lUseExclusiveWorked = .t.
cErrHandler = ON('ERROR')
ON ERROR lUseExclusiveWorked = .f.
USE <i>JRandomTable</i> EXCLUSIVE
ON ERROR &cErrHandler
IF lUseExclusiveWorked
   PACK
   USE
ELSE
   * do whatever you want if the USE EXCLSUIVE failed
ENDIF

>thanks
>nick