Dan,

Thanks, nice suggestions. I'll probably do it in a future.

>Actually, I altered the code to do just that. But really the Close Databases All occurs prior to opening any tables so there shouldn't be any open tables. I like the idea of the function but usually, when I get more than three parameters like this I'll opt for a class. That way your setting named properties and it's a little easier to read. You can make the DBC a separate property to simplify some of the code.
>
>Also for the first parameter, you could use an Assert to check its validity.
>
>>Why not just close all before opening this table? It could be opened under another alias, etc. Also I never use direct USE in myh applications. I use my little UDF for that: (I modified this code today at work, so it's not my current version, but anyway):
>>

>>********************************************************************
>>*  Description.......: OpenTble && Opens the passed table
>>*  Calling Samples...: OpenTble('TranMstr','WorkFile')
>>*  Parameter List....: tcTable, tcAlias, tcMode, tcTagOrder, tnBufferMode
>>*  Created by........:
>>*  Modified by.......: Nadya Nosonovsky 01/10/2001 11:46:19 AM
>>********************************************************************
>>function OpenTble && Opens, but didn't select a table
>>lparameters tcTable, tcAlias, tcMode, tcTagOrder, tnBufferMode
>>*=messagebox( "tcTable "+tcTable+ chr(13)+"tcTagOrder "+iif(!empty(tcTagOrder),tcTagOrder,""))
>>* tcTable - required: name of table to open (with or without full path)
>>* tcAlias - optional: alias name, if different from tcTable
>>* tcMode - optional:  mode in which table should be opened, like Shared noupdate
>>* tcTagOrder - optional: Tag name
>>* tnBufferMode - optional: Set buffer mode
>>local lcTableName, lnPos, llDBCPrefix, lcDBCName
>>* Check parameters first
>>if empty(tcTable) or vartype(tcTable)'C'
>>* First parameter is required
>>     return .f.
>>else
>>     lnPos=rat('!',tcTable)
>>     if lnPos>0 && DataBase Name was specified && example: Support!PostOff
>>          lcTableName=juststem(substr(tcTable,lnPos+1)) && PostOff
>>          lcDBCName=upper(left(tcTable,lnPos-1)) && DBC Name
>>          llDBCPrefix=.t.
>>     else
>>          lcTableName=tcTable
>>     endif
>>endif
>>if empty(tcAlias) or vartype(tcAlias)'C'
>>     tcAlias=juststem(lcTableName)
>>endif
>>
>>if empty(tcMode) or vartype(tcMode)'C'
>>     tcMode='shared'
>>else
>>     tcMode=lower(tcMode)
>>endif
>>local lcCheckFile
>>if empty(justext(lcTableName))
>>   lcCheckFile=forceext(lcTableName,"dbf")
>>else
>>   lcCheckFile=lcTableName
>>endif
>>if !file(lcCheckFile)  && File doesn't exist
>>     =messagebox(tcTable +' does not exist!. Can not proceed...',48,'Error')
>>     return .f.
>>endif
>>local lnOldSelect
>>lnOldSelect=select()
>>if !used(tcAlias) or ; && Alias is not already in use or 
>>        (llDBCPrefix and not juststem(cursorgetprop("DATABASE",tcAlias))==lcDBCName) && it's not the same database
>>     local lcOldError, lnErr, lcOldSetExclusive
>>     use in select(tcAlias) && Close table
>>     lnErr=0
>>     lcOldError=on('error') && Save current Error Handler
>>     lcOldSetExclusive=set('exclusive') && Save current exclusive status
>>     set exclusive off && This should be always set this way
>>     on error lnErr=error()
>>     use (tcTable) again &tcMode in 0 alias (tcAlias)
>>     on error &lcOldError && Restore previous Error Handler
>>     if lcOldSetExclusive='ON'
>>          set exclusive on && Restore it back to original settings
>>     endif
>>     if lnErr0 && Error occurs
>>          if lnErr=1705  && File Access is denied
>>               =messagebox(tcTable +' is opened exclusively by another user. Can not proceed...',48,'Error '+transform(lnErr))
>>               return .f. && Table could not be opened (already used exclusively)
>>          else && Another error
>>               =messagebox(tcTable+' could not be opened!',48,'Error '+transform(lnErr))
>>               return .f.
>>          endif
>>     endif
>>endif
>>
>>select (tcAlias) && If it's here, everything is all right
>>if not empty(tcTagOrder) and vartype(tcTagOrder)='C' and tagno(tcTagOrder)>0
>>     set order to tag (tcTagOrder) in (tcAlias)
>>endif
>>if vartype(tnBufferMode)='N' and between(tnBufferMode,1,5)
>>    set multilocks on
>>     =cursorsetprop('Buffering',tnBufferMode) && Note, we can not set buffering mode less than 3 on a view - no check for this
>>endif
>>select (lnOldSelect) && Return back to the original area
>>return .t.

>>
>>>>>We have been receiving this 1705 error when trying to open a table exclusively and we're trying to track down the problem. This error is not consistent. It occurs once every two weeks.
>>>>>
>>>>>We are running an exe that does some heavy data processing. Below is an example of the code.
>>>>>
>>>>>... Heavy data processing ...
>>>>>

>>>>>
>>>>>Flush
>>>>>
>>>>>Sys(1104)
>>>>>
>>>>>>>Close Databases All
>>>>>
>>>>>If Used(  )
>>>>>    Use In 
>>>>>EndIf
>>>>>
>>>>>Use  In 0 Exclusive
>>>>>
>>>>>

>>>>>
>>>>>This last generates a 1705 error.
>>>>>
>>>>>File access is denied (Error 1705)
>>>>>You have attempted to write to a file that is write protected.
>>>>>
>>>>>We are guessing that after the heavy processing the files have not closed properly, which is why we are getting that error. But why a 1705? Why not a "File is in use." error?
>>>>
>>>>Have you tried FLUSH ahead of your USE ... EXCLUSIVE?
>>>
>>>Yes. See there is a FLUSH in the code.
>>>
>>>:) Before you check the previous messages, I just added that Flush. I should have included that in the first message. Have you actually received a 1705 error when trying to open a table exclusively?