This is a comment from the peanut gallery, not a criticism. Thank you for answering the writer's direct question. I agree that low leve IO and/or STRTOFILE() might be better or more elegant solutions to the task but until you answered his question he has now way of realizing that SET ALTERNATE does work, he was just using it incorrectly.

>>I have to export data from a FoxPro database using VFP 6.0 in an unusual format to a text file. What commands can I use to send hard code as well as my data to the text file? I am currently trying:
>>
>>SET ALTERNATE ON
>>SET ALTERNATE TO &lcfilename ADDITIVE
>>??'RUNDATE: '
>>??'OPERATOR: '
>>
>>at the beginning of my routine, and it's not working! Any ideas?
>>
>>Thanks!!
>
>You have to set the output file first and then activate redirection.
>
>SET ALTERNATE TO &lcfilename ADDITIVE
>SET ALTERNATE ON
>??'RUNDATE: '
>??'OPERATOR: '
>
>SET ALTERNATE OFF
>SET ALTERNATE TO