Yes, it's the way SQL select works in foxpro. You can use USED() function to check if a table is already open

IF NOT USED("mytable")
  USE Mytable IN 0
ENDIF 
SELECT Mytable

>Hi,
>
>There is something I don't understand un VFP. I colect some data from a free table with a SQL command (SELECT * FROM mytable INTO CURSOR c1) I can get other data from the same table with SQL command into other cursors (c2, c3, ...) but I can't open my table with the USE command, I get error 'File in use'
>
>Is it normal that SQL keep the table open ?
>
>Thanks
>Thierry