inyearofbill=2000+VAL(LEFT(thisform.text1.Value,2))
inbillno=INT(VAL(SUBSTR(thisform.text1.value,4)))
IF USED('billinfo')
  SELECT Billinfo 
ELSE
  SELECT 0
  USE billinfo AGAIN && Billinfo may be used in another work area with another alias, so use AGAIN to be safe
ENDIF
LOCATE for YEAR(billdate)=inyearofbill AND billno=inbillno 
IF FOUND()
  thisform.text2.value=name
  .
  .
  .
ELSE
  =MESSAGEBOX("not found")
endif

>hi,
>thank you very much,it works
>i need to change this code with locate or scan as under
>

>
>inyearofbill=2000+VAL(LEFT(thisform.text1.Value,2))
>inbillno=INT(VAL(SUBSTR(thisform.text1.value,4)))
>SELECT * from billinfo WHERE YEAR(billdate)=inyearofbill AND billno=inbillno INTO CURSOR curbilldata
>************
>LOCATE for YEAR(billdate)=inyearofbill AND billno=inbillno
>IF FOUND()
>thisform.text2.value=name
>.
>.
>.
>ELSE
>=MESSAGEBOX("not found")
>endif
>********************
>

>
>thanks.
>m.qasem
>
>>

>>INSERT  INTO  billinfo(billno,billdate) VALUES (val(right(thisform.text1.Value,4)),DATE())
>>

>>Remember that the value showed in thisform.text1.Value, 04-0001, is ONLY ment to show nicely, it is not the actual billno.
>>
>>>hi,
>>>thank you very much,it works
>>>i try to insert myvalue as under ,but i get error messag(data type mismatch)
>>>

>>>INSERT  INTO  billinfo(billno,billdate) VALUES (thisform.text1.Value,DATE())
>>>

>>>thanks.
>>>m.qasem
>>>
>>>>Try this.
>>>>
>>>>thisform.text1.value=RIGHT(STR(YEAR(DATE()),4),2) + '_'+RIGHT(STR(10000+(billinfo.billno+1),5),4)