>Hilmar,
>SNIP
>>
>>An index on strtran(...) is virtually useless, since it is of variable length. Any decent VFP index has a fixed length. Perhaps padr(strtran(...)) will achieve better results.
>
>I've heard this many many times, and every time that I read it I wonder to myself...
>1) Don't all VFP indexes have a fixed length anyway, INTERNALLY?
>2) If VFP lets one create such a TAG, why would it then be useless???
>
>Perhaps you mean that it won't be used by Rushmore?
>
>Jim

This index will be used by Rushmore. However, it isn't relable because the lenght of the index key depends on the record VFP uses to determine it. If table is empty, you wouldn't be able to create such index at all.