>Seems like that would do the same thing if you put the RECNO() in the first SELECT.

No, because you may have deleted records in the source table.

>At any rate, it wouldn't number within the master key, it would number the entire table from 1 to n.

I gave you only the simplest example. The first select can be more complicated and be order on any key, filtered, etc. The trick is to use the recno() function on the resulted cursor to get the number field. My reference to "one table" was for the 2nd SELECT (recno() may give wrong results on SELECT involving more than one table). You must also be sure that your cursor is not just a filter on the source table (this is done by the NOFILTER in the first SELECT).

I am sorry for not being clear in my previous message.

Vlad