>I have a file which is derived from another file 99% of whose records
>were imported from an outside database of part numbers. Of 137000
>records about 500 are duplicates as many as 18 on a single number.
>I wrote the code below to remove the duplicates and it works where
>there are up to 3 duplicates but on the record with larger numbers
>jof dupllicates it will delete say 13 of 15 leaving the 2 identical records
>in the beginning of the duplication. Help.
>
>use d:\stock\stock1.dbf
>do while .not. eof()
>m.check1 =number
>skip 1
>m.check2 = number
>do case
>case m.check1 = m.check2
>delete
>case m.check1 # m.check2
>skip 1
>endcase
>
>enddo
>pack

Hey, If you only take the first matched record, try this:

use d:\stock\stock1.dbf again in 0 alias badStock shared
Select * from badStock ;
group by check1, check2 ;
into Table GoodStock
use in badStock
use in Goodstock

* --- replace it... But pls Backup first!
clear all
Set Safety off
copy file stock1.* to BackupStock1.*
use stock1 exclusive
zap
use stock1 again in 0 shared
select stock1
append from GoodStock
clear all
* --- Once you check no problem for replacement
* Delete file BackupStock1.*