>The real problem with lots of tags is in data input. In some cases, the CDX may be larger than the DBF. What is the single greatest point of contention in a multi-user data input system? Locking records? No. Locking the table header when adding a new record? No. It's locking the CDX header when updating any record which has a field represented in an index tag. For every update, insert, and append, the CDX is updated. How much is updated depends on how many fields are in the tag expressions. The larger the expressions, the more data must be moved around. I learned this from George Goley years ago, and it made a lot of sense.

Hi Charlie - I think the reason this isn't part of the discussion here (until now) is that it isn't very relevant except to certain limited situations - where it's extremely relevant. Adding/updating a single record, even with a great many tags, doesn't have a discernable delay, that I've ever noticed.

OTOH, anything involving multiple record updates with many tags can have a totally drastic effect - APPEND FROM being the most obvious, I guess.