Nancy,

>But, by keeping your RI in your database (coupling it?), I think you tie yourself to using one backend.

But in my minds eye, I look at the back-end as the stable part, and the front end as the one that is likely to change. Middle - tier, ideally would also be stable, but since, in my case, I have a virtual middle tier (in VFP along with my UI), it is likely to change too ... or at least has to be separated out and COMed.

I'm VFP front for now - and notwithstanding all the love for VFP on the UT, would bet my left arm my front-end won't be VFP in 2-3 years, or at least not ALL VFP, but I will more than likely still be using SQL Server as the back-end (unless our misled govenrment succeeds in crushing MS <bg> ) Who knows what a middle-tier will be at that point?

Ken