>>adding a single REPLACE for the RECNO() takes less code :)
>
>This does not capture the Recno() from the base table, unless you create a field in the base table to hold the Recno for every record. REPLACE will work fine that way. I just need a way to map a subset of records back to the original physical records in the base table because the base table does not have a unique key.

do what-ever works for you
IMHO a 70000 records table (which is what u said u have) should
have a unique key , even if it is just a "system" assigned numerator key

Arnon