Gerard,

See, if this program can help:

********************************************************************
*  Description.......: OpenTble && Opens the passed table
*  Calling Samples...: OpenTble('TranMstr','WorkFile')
*  Parameter List....: tcTable, tcAlias, tcMode, tcTagOrder, tnBufferMode
*  Created by........:
*  Modified by.......: Nadya Nosonovsky 05/01/2001 11:34:13 AM
********************************************************************
function OpenTble && Opens, but doesn't select a table
lparameters tcTable, tcAlias, tcMode, tcTagOrder, tnBufferMode
* 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, lcPath
* Check parameters first
if vartype(m.tcTable)<>'C' or empty(m.tcTable)
* First parameter is required
     return .f.
endif
lnPos=rat('!',m.tcTable)
if m.lnPos>0 && DataBase Name was specified && example: Support!PostOff
     lcTableName=juststem(substr(m.tcTable,m.lnPos+1)) && PostOff
     lcDBCName=upper(left(m.tcTable,m.lnPos-1)) && DBC Name
     llDBCPrefix=.t.
else
     lcTableName=m.tcTable
endif
lcPath = justpath(m.tcTable)
if vartype(m.tcAlias)<>'C' or empty(m.tcAlias)
     tcAlias=juststem(m.lcTableName)
endif

if vartype(m.tcMode)<>'C' or empty(m.tcMode)
     tcMode='shared'
endif
local lcCheckFile
if empty(justext(m.lcTableName))
     lcCheckFile=forceext(m.lcTableName,"dbf")
else
     lcCheckFile=m.lcTableName
endif
if !file(m.lcCheckFile)  && File doesn't exist
     =messagebox(m.tcTable +' does not exist!. Can not proceed...',48,'Error')
     return .f.
endif
local lnOldSelect
lnOldSelect=select()
if !used(m.tcAlias) or ; && Alias is not already in use or
     (m.llDBCPrefix and not juststem(cursorgetprop("DATABASE",m.tcAlias))==m.lcDBCName) or ; && it's not the same database
     (!empty(m.lcPath) and m.lcPath<>justpath(dbf(m.tcAlias)))
     local lcOldError, lnErr, lcOldSetExclusive
     use in select(m.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 (m.tcTable) again &tcMode in 0 alias (m.tcAlias)
     on error &lcOldError && Restore previous Error Handler
     if m.lcOldSetExclusive='ON'
          set exclusive on && Restore it back to original settings
     endif
     do case
         case m.lnErr=0 && Everything is OK
          case m.lnErr=1705  && File Access is denied
               =messagebox(m.tcTable +' is opened exclusively by another user. Can not proceed...',48,'Error '+transform(m.lnErr))
               return .f. && Table could not be opened (already used exclusively)
          otherwise && Another error
               =messagebox(m.tcTable+' could not be opened!',48,'Error '+transform(m.lnErr))
               return .f.
     endcase
endif

select (m.tcAlias) && If it's here, everything is all right
if not empty(m.tcTagOrder) and vartype(m.tcTagOrder)='C' and tagno(m.tcTagOrder)>0
     set order to tag (m.tcTagOrder) in (m.tcAlias)
endif
if vartype(m.tnBufferMode)='N' and between(m.tnBufferMode,1,5)
     set multilocks on
     =cursorsetprop('Buffering',m.tnBufferMode) && Note, we can not set buffering mode less than 3 on a view - no check for this
endif
select (m.lnOldSelect) && Return back to the original area
return .t.

>Hi.
>I have a form, with a file set up in the data environment.
>On a button of the form, I have code to Zap the file.
>
>How do I:
>(1) Set Exclu on for the file (so that I can zap it)
> (Overall in my APP, Exclu is set off so from the DE, the file will not be open exclusively)
>
>(2) Ensure there is nobody else using the file (including users in non VFP products who could have the file open (e.g. report Writer)
>
>Thanks in advance for any assistance
>
>regards,
>
>Gerard