I use a parameters (site) file (could use the registry or an Ini file as well) that contains the path to the data. On application startup it reads this file and sets a property on the Application Object. I have also have a SetDataDirectory method in the Application Object. The DE's AutoOpenTables property of each form is set to false. In the Load event of the form I call the SetDataDirectory method passing the DE as a parameter to reset the path to the data using similar code to Ric's followed by a DE.Opentables method call.

Like Ric, I got this from works published by D. Hennig of Stonefield Systems and Hentzenwerkes 'Fundamentals...' book.

HTHs

Robert