>mmmm thats a thought but i will have to test it to see have you been able to do this before i would think that i would just do a set index to idx file prior to loading the grid is that what your thinking?

We only use CDX's here. But basically you're just setting an order on the table using VFP's data engine looking at the IDX. Once VFP has the order of the table, I would expect the grid to display it in that order. Binding the table/fields to the grid should be typical and I don't think the grid will care whether the index is a CDX or IDX.

Bill