>The Low Level File Function FOPEN()returns a -1 if it cannot gain access to the file in question.
>Also, check out the documentation for other return values.
>Denis

Either way, every framework should have a custom method to do this:

llOpen=oApp.OpenExcl('mytable.dbf')

Returns True if opened succesfully or False if the file is locked.
Being as partial as I am, the on error method seems faster than opening it up low-level than closing the handle and then open with a use. I'll test this tommarow and tell you what I find.