>I get the same columns, after issuing the command, and then browsing, there is a memo column called text (which is the default value built into the schema for that field) and it has jibberish in mine (vfp 8) I haven't tried it in 9 to see if translate it better.

Kirk,

You can use STRCONV() to conver it from Unicode.

? STRCONV(text,10)

BTW, I can only get correct values in VFP9. In VFP8SP1 nothing comes over in 'text' and 'text1' columns and "No update tables are specified. Use the Tables property of the cursor" error is generated every time I try to access either of those columns.