>What is the equivalent in SQL-server SQL pass-through of NODATA ? I.e how can I force an empty cursor -- efficiently? (This must be a dumb question!)

Good question.... I didn't know, so I figured I would use profiler and see what the use nodata would send to the back end, and this is what it sent...

SET FMTONLY ON SELECT Ee_master.ee_id, Ee_master.company_id, Ee_master.empnum, Ee_master.ssno, Ee_master.fname, Ee_master.mname, Ee_master.lname, Ee_master.forlname, Ee_master.address1, Ee_master.address2, Ee_master.city, Ee_master.state, Ee_master.zip, Ee_master.phone, Ee_master.wk_phone, Ee_master.wk_phn_ext, Ee_master.birthdate, Ee_master.sex, Ee_master.ethnic, Ee_master.marital, Ee_master.veteran, Ee_master.disabled, Ee_master.empstatus, Ee_master.emptype, Ee_master.hiredate, Ee_master.svcdate, Ee_master.leavedate, Ee_master.returndate, Ee_master.termdate, Ee_master.termcode, Ee_master.rehire, Ee_master.payfreq, Ee_master.paystatus, Ee_master.chkstatus, Ee_master.unioncode, Ee_master.barg_unit, Ee_master.workstate, Ee_master.i9document, Ee_master.bencredits, Ee_master.benprgcode, Ee_master.usercode, Ee_master.pen_plan, Ee_master.w2eetype, Ee_master.timestamp_column FROM ee_master Ee_master ORDER BY Ee_master.empnum SET FMTONLY OFF


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So, it looks like SET FMTONLY ON before and SET FMTONLY OFF after your select will do the trick.

BOb