You can use TEXTMERGE to build a query. It makes code more readable. Something like

TEXT TO lcSQL TEXTMERGE NOSHOW PRETEXT 7
insert into table (field1, field2, field3, .....) 
  values (...)
ENDTEXT	
lcSQL = CHRTRAN(lcSQL, CHR(13)+CHR(10),"")
=sqlexec(..., lcSQL, ...)

The SPT parameters is another option you should explore.

>
>for the first time i am using VFP to insert and update data in a SQL 2000 server. i typically have very long lines that look like this
>
>=sqlprepare(...insert into table (field1, field2, field3, .....) values (...)
>=sqlexec(...)
>
>my problem is that the first statement is often more than 254 characters, (its often 500 or 700 characters) so i get a VFP error. what i end up doing is breaking up the insert into an insert and one or more updates. it is a major pain in the arse and a waste of time. i do something like this
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>=sqlprepare(...insert into table
>=sqlexec(...)
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>=sqlprepare(...select max(id) from table...)
>=sqlexec(...)
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>=sqlprepare(...update table set .... where id=maxid
>=sqlexec(...)
>
>i know i must be doing something wrong and am overlooking a simple solution.
>