*** We have tried changing the field sizes to char(40) without any success. The VFP view designer allows us to modify the field size, but when we press OK and look at the size it reverts back to the original (wrong) size.***

Here are some more items to consider (items 3 and 4 are a bit of a stretch -- I have no idea if that will work)

1.) Can you change the Oracle schema itself to call out the char(40) instead of the varchar2(40)? If you can and the vfp view error still exists well .. I dunno.

2.) Create the view progamatically and don't use the view designer mechanism

3..) If you can't change the schema, you may want to consider an Oracle view of the original table that has a char(40) and then build a vfp remote view based on the view --whew or Oracle Table ---> Oracle View ---> VFP remote view.

4.) Go to the oracle table that the remote view is based on and lok at the 1st rows value in the varchar2 field. If the number of characters in there are 20 maybe you can add 20 spaces and this might allow VFP view to be correctly set to 40

5.) Search the messages for threads on varchar2 -- there was a lot of discussion last year about vfp's troubles in dealing with varchar2's

6.) Maybe post something directly to Mark MacCasland -- he seem to be very knowledgable about Oracle -- he has helped me out a few times.

Kevin