>handle = fopen("mydbf.dbf",12) && Try a RW open >if handle > 0 && Not in use elsewhere > =fclose(handle) > use mydbf exclusive >endif Much more elegant than what I did, which <b>was</b>: local lcOldError, llFailed lcOldError = on('error') on error llFailed = .t. use mytable excl if !empty(lcOldError) on errer &lcOldError else on error endif