Hi Evelyn,
You are on the right track.
TYPE(JUSTSTEM(m.RestoreName) + ".frdate") is correct as long as JUSTSTEM(m.RestoreName) returns the alias name--which I suspect it isn't. Just suspend on that command and check it out.
? TYPE("AliasName.frDate")
? USED("AliasName")
? JUSTSTEM(m.RestoreName)
etc.



>i have variable restorename to hold the location and name of the table, then i do type(juststem(restorename)+".frdate").
>
>even if table restorename has the field frdate, type evaluates to U. why is that?
>
>pls help. TIA.