>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