>Using XML is by no means a replacement of a local data engine. It has no significant DML and is very cubersome to use within queries.

Of course, it depends on what you are doing. And, you can use XPath to query XML data. You can also bring the XML into a dataset. All this is very doable for the use case you states such as small islands of data that don't change often. The real nice thing about XML is that you can edit it with Notepad and most user understand that.

>>Also, you can use DBFs with .Net just fine, you can have the speed you local engine speed you are used to if you use the VFP ole-db provider.
>
>This is just workarround the problem; using VFPs local dataengine for something that is missing in .NET, there are numerous practical problems using this approach and is essentially no solution for data driven applications.
>
>Walter,

Ok, I'll give, .Net does NOT have a local data engine built in. .Net has a set of classes that allow you to connect with various data providers depending on your need.

What are the practical problem with using a VFP OLE-DB provider in .Net?

BOb