>>1. Is there a Candidate or Primary Index on table2.field1?
no. there is a primary key, but not on field1

2. Is there a Regular Index on table1.field1+table1.field2?
no. that is the primary index

My actual fields:
fset (this is a tooling set, typically there will be 3 identical fset records in the table '001', '001', '001'.

ftnum (this is a tooling type number) There will be many identical tooling type numbers in the table.

However, there will be only one fset+'.'+str(ftnum) in the table.
thus, it is the primary key. '001.1', '001.2', '001.3'

I would just combine the 2 fields and get rid of the individual fields. But, then my data interface (toolbar buttons) wont work. If the controls arent bound to a field then when a user edits data in the control, the toolbar buttons wont active, (save, revert, undo etc..) there is probably a way around this, maybe using a hidden control bound to the compund field, that is edited by either of the individual controls.

>>I use character relations in my system, only because I have to.
This seems to be a common consesus. I use to never use relations, but I find myself using them more and more. It seems to me if you get them setup initally in the DBC, then everything falls into place.

Thanks for your input, it's spurred on some new ideas to try.