You can still use the same code but you'll have to remove '?' from the generated SQL command. Something like

s = STRTRAN( s, "?", "")

assuming that you dont have '?' somewhere in the string literals inside it.

>Sergey,
>
>x and z are local and the SQL string is built up and then executed via &s. I hadn't thought of just using the variable names - I'll try it, thanks. I was hoping to use the same code that I send to my ODBC source in my VFP-only routines - things get very awkward with memo fields containing chr(13/10) but the '?' syntax solves that very neatly for the ODBC source, hence my hopes for VFP.
>
>Many thanks,
>
>RJL
>
>[Update] Yes you are right although I have to enclose the variable-name in brackets else I get a 'column not recognised' error.
>Thanks again
>
>>Hi Robert,
>>
>>I think it works only in SELECT statement to make the view parameters possible. Why do you need it in VFP at all? Your example works fine w/o '?' character.

>>x = 'ole biscuit'
>>z=99
>>s = "update wibble set ftang=x where pk=z"
>>&s
>>

>>
>>>When I use
>>>
>>>x = 'ole biscuit'
>>>z=99
>>>
>>>s = "update wibble set ftang=?x where pk=?z"
>>>
>>>in ODBC it works fine, but if I try this in VFP, via &s or as a direct statement, I get a syntax error. In SELECT it works correctly. Can I NOT do this in VFP but only in ODBC?
>>>
>>>Many thanks