Rox,

You want me to spend my time chasing my tail? I already feel like I'm spinning my wheels! ;-)

Isn't that a long way around to where we started...justfname(dbf('testtable'))='testtable' (unless we change the alias).

VFP is still going to want a file reference for "testtable".

What worries me is that any other solution to my problem would result in the same dilemma. For example, say I encrypt the files using a third party tool. I open and decrypt the files, but a SELECT SQL fails because it can't find the original files. Aaugh!

>hey what about justfname(dbf('testtable'))