Jim,

>If you want to run tests to see if two table access is faster or slower than single table access that is a different thread.

Thread started: Does violating 3rd normal form make queries faster?

>
>BTW, empirical testing shows that a two table relation is about the same speed as a single table (when the tables are on the local machine), but an SQL Select takes longer than those two because the query has to run in addition to processing the records.

You have totally lost me.
What is a "two table relation"? I am guessing USE a, USE b, SET RELATION...
Why would the location of the tables make a difference? are you saying that if they are local, one method will be faster? I would think that local tables would speed up both processes by a constant factor.
What is "the query has to run" and "processing the records"? To me they are the same, so I have no idea what you mean.

If you get this in time, Have a Happy NewYear, and watch out for the nuts with guns.