dan
i tried it on my computer at home last nite with the same results. i did just what you were suggesting, use flock(). it works correctly now. code reads something like:
*******************************
select h
use testfile order ss
if reccout() = 0
if flock()
append blank
replace field1 with field1x
replace field2 with field2x
endif
unlock
else
if lock()
append blank
replace field1 with field1x
replace field2 with field2x
endif
unlock
endif
***************************************************************

it seems to have solved the problem. what bothers me about this is that this program has worked for years, apparently with no problems in foxpro dos. since this is just a rewrite of foxpro dos code to vfp6 code this should have worked alright. is it a bug?

i told you it just seemed to happen with this file only, i was wrong the other file just used append blank without lock(). i guess thats why it still was able to add records after it was packed & zapped.

thanks for the help
frank