Fabio,

I agree with Thomas, it's not a bug in the product. However this behavior isn't documented in the help. It's mentioned in How FoxPro Passes Parameters to Subroutines mskb #Q101025, though. Feel free to submit documentation errata.

>Previous issue Thread #951922
>
>Bug/Issue : 3 of 27
>
>TITLE: Bug: call by Reference hide Public and Private variables
>
>VERSION: 09.00.0000.1720 and previous
>
>STEPS TO REPRODUCE:
>

>clear
>PUBLIC myvar
>myvar = 'i want see this'
>ON ERROR ? MESSAGE()
>? ABRA(m.myvar)
>? ABRA(@m.myvar)
>ON ERROR
>
>PROCEDURE ABRA (pVar)
>RETURN m.myvar
>RETURN ' -> BUG '
>

>
>OBSERVED BEHAVIOR:
>When the call by reference is made, VFP hide the external PUBLIC and PRIVATE variables
>
>EXPECTED BEHAVIOR:
>VFP does not have to hide these variables.