>Tom,
>
>While your response certainly is absolutely correct, the situation does beg the following questions:
>
>1) Why isn't there at least an OPTION in VFP to have DELETED primary or candidate keys treated as non-existent records which can be overwritten according to the command presently being attempted?
>
>2) Why is this simple fact NOT mentioned at all in the discussions regarding primary keys or candidate keys? [ each of us has to learn this for ourselves, the hard way]
>
>Jim N.
>
>>Alvin
>>
>>Delete does NOT remove the record from the table -- only PACK will do that. Just because you cannot see the record does not mean it still does not exist. You will either have to pack the table first or change the key value so it is unique.
>>
>>HTH,
>>Tom

Jim

1. Because a deleted record is still part of the Table. And a 'Unique' index still needs to stay unigue. VFP cannot track 'kinda unique' values. The alternative would be to make it a regular index ans seek an existing value your self.

2. That's just the tip of the iceburg (s).

Tom