>
>I can't find any reason to have this piece of code in the program since, IMO, it does nothing. Am I missing something? Is there something subtle/secret/etc and I don't see it?

Vlad,

I enjoyed reading all the other submissions concerning this mystery. As a former Clipper programmer the suggestion that this code is inherited from a Clipper scoping problem seems most plausible, It probably wasn't the right approach in clipper either.

However, I think you should give some consideration to the possibility that the previous programmer was being paid by 'the lines of code' he/she produced.

In which case I would check the following; 1) There may be other examples of perfectly worthless code in the application, 2) Make sure your own contract with the client does not contain a similar provision regarding 'per line consideration'.

In this event, removing lines of code might actually compel you to pay the client for each line of code you remove. In any event I would have a competent attorney thoroughly review your contract and all of the source code from the aforementioned application.

I better get back to work! :)

JP