>>_TALLY is funky with arrays, because if the select returns no records, _TALLY is not set...
>
>Don't you mean the array is not created or changed if it already exists? _TALLY is updated just fine, records or not.

I can't remember what the exact conditions are, but I have had trouble with _TALLY several times when attempting to select into an array. I just did a simple test, and that test confirms your statement, but I am sure that this was one of the instances where _TALLY can catch you off guard. I always release the array before the SELECT, and check for the existence ofthe first element after the SELECT to avoid trouble.