Than second part could be

SELECT *, PADR(m.lettername,50) as lettername ;
	FROM property ;
	WHERE  key = m.key ;
	INTO CURSOR crsTemp NOFILTER
SELECT l_prop1
APPEND FROM ( DBF("crsTemp"))
USE IN ("crsTemp")

In VFP8 it can be done with one command INSERT INTO ... SELECT FROM.

>I need it broken up into two parts. Part one creates the structure with the extra column. Part two inserts the values, without wiping out the existing rows in the table. The two parts are in two different methods. Your SELECT works well, but it deletes all the previous rows.
>