I have downloaded and installed SQL Server 2005 Express beta and the Express Manager onto my laptop. I used the Express Manager to run the scripts that created the Pubs and Northwind databases. All of this is running, and I can query these databases via the XM. I accepted the default instance name of SQLEXPRESS during the installation, but the problem is I can not get VFP9 to connect to this server. Has anyone been able to do so using the Data Explorer Task Pane and/or SQLSTRINGCONNECT? If so, what's the magic key? TIA!