>it is set up for an order by i dont think there is anyway i can set that index to a different one like that because doesnt the cdx handle the link with the parent table? how would i set it up so that the grid would use one index and then everywhere else i would be jumping in and out of others wouldnt that interfere with it? because i would have to set the index to something else in the workarea but while that grid is being used i need to be able to swap to another index on the same file?

I don't think I fully understand your scenario. Your first description sounded like a relatively simple situation with a single grid bound to one table whose order was set by a single IDX file. It now sounds like your scenario is more complicated. If you can more fully describe the setup, perhaps we can give you some more direction, or perhaps someone else is seeing something here that I do not. Plus I'd like to know along with Pete why you aren't simply using CDX's, which would seem to be more straightforward.

Bill