Evan,

You need the F parameter because Clipper will take the lower between the Files and the F parameter, and if you do not specify it will be 20, the default.

X:nKbytes specifies the amount of memory to exclude from being
allocated, except for the RUN command. Specified in kilobytes, valid
values range from zero to 64 inclusive. If not specified, the default
value is zero.

I do not remember exactly why I used it, I think to allow other programs to run with the run command, because other way clipper keeps all the base memory for itself. But I am not sure.

Other parameters that may be of you interest are:

DYNF:nHandles specifies the number of file handles the dynamic
overlay system is allowed to use. Valid settings range from 1 to 8
inclusive. If not specified, the default is 2.

E:nExpandedKbytes restricts the amount of expanded memory
automatically allocated to . CA-Clipper-compiled and
linked programs can use expanded memory to speed up processing as well
as some disk-based operations. CA-Clipper can use memory configured
as expanded memory according to the Lotus-Intel-Microsoft (LIM)
Expanded Memory Specification (EMS) version 4.0 or higher.

Expanded memory is automatically allocated in its entirety at startup;
there is no dynamic allocation as execution proceeds. The maximum
amount allocated is limited by four factors:

_ The amount available
_ The SET CLIPPER=//E:nnn environment setting
_ A theoretical maximum of 32MB
_ The amount of conventional memory available

Note that a certain amount of conventional memory must be used to
contain management tables for the virtual memory system--the more total
memory (both conventional and expanded), the more space taken up by
this control information. The amount of expanded memory used may be
less than the amount available if there is insufficient conventional
memory to hold the tables.

SWAPK:nBytes specifies the maximum allowable size of the disk
swap file used for the virtual memory (VM) system. Settings are
specified in kilobyte increments. Valid settings range from 256 to
65,535 inclusive. If this setting is not specified, the default is
16,384 (16 MB).

Note: Swap space is only allocated as needed--a particular setting
does not guarantee that the swap file will get that big. Suppressing or
restricting disk swapping may cause an application to fail.

SWAPPATH:'path' specifies the location of the virtual memory swap
file. If not specified, the swap file is created in the current DOS
drive and directory.

HTH, and sorry for the length of the message, there is little more information in the Norton Guides, but another parameter you can use is INFO that will give you information about CA-Clipper's memory usage at startup of an application.

Hugo

"The five senses obstruct or deform the apprehension of reality."
Jorge L. Borges?

"Premature optimization is the root of all evil in programming."
Donald Knuth, repeating C. A. R. Hoare

"To die for a religion is easier than to live it absolutely"
Jorge L. Borges