Try to separte method name from the parameter and assign parameter to a string.

lcMethod = LEFT(lcBEFORE, AT( "(", lcBefore))
lcParam = SUBSTR((lcBEFORE, AT( "(", lcBefore)+1) + "17, DIA A 18, DIA A 19, DIA A 20"
nReturn = EVAL(lcMethod + "lcParam)")

This code isn't tested so you'll have to ajust it.

>Sergey,
>
>The expression in lcBEFORE is as follows:
>
>"thisform.MAX("DIA A 1, DIA A 2, DIA A 3, DIA A 4, DIA A 5, DIA A 6, DIA A 7, DIA A 8, DIA A 9, DIA A 10, DIA A 11, DIA A 12, DIA A 13, DIA A 14, DIA A 15, DIA A 16, "
>
>I need to include the rest of my memo field in the string literal. The missing part is:
>
>"17, DIA A 18, DIA A 19, DIA A 20")"
>
>Does this help give you any ideas?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Joe
>
>
>>255 is a limit on the size of the string literal not the string. What is the expression in lcBEFORE?
>>
>>>Hi there,
>>>
>>>I'm working in a VFP 5.0 application and attempting to assign a table's memo field to a string, which I then pass along to one of my form's procedures using the following command:
>>>
>>>nReturn = (&lcBEFORE)
>>>
>>>where lnBEFORE is my memo field, and in which nReturn is a numeric value returning either the MIN, MAX or AVG of the string of values (separated by commas) I've passed to the procedure. The procedure is working fine except when I have more than 255 characters (sometimes it's 300+ characters).
>>>
>>>Is there a way that I can get around the 255 string-length limit?
>>>
>>>Thanks for reading,
>>>
>>>Joe