Rather than work out data type conversions and consistent expression lengths, I sometimes like to bypass a SEEK by using a combination of a SQL Select command that is followed immediately by a check of the _TALLY.

I've selected into cursors, tables, and arrays and haven't necessarily figured out which one is best. Once it's written, the SEEK is certainly much faster to execute. The later approach helps me to deal with cases where _TALLY =0, _TALLY = 1, and _TALLY > 1 in a different manner.

What ideas are out there on this issue including the fastest way to do the SELECT and _TALLY? I've faced this issue in the past and I'm facing it in work I'm doing right now.

Thank you in advance.