>The database is VFP.
>
>1. SELECT expression that returns inconsistently:
>lcStrSQL = " SELECT p.* FROM arperend p " + ;
> " WHERE p.pedPerEnd = {" + DTOC(ldPeriodEnd) + "} "

How about something like:

ldDate = '1991-10-01' && get the date string in this format
cSql = 'select p.* from arperend p where p.pedPerEnd = {^' + ldDate + '}'