Kevin, How about the following: <SYS>:setvar count 1 <SYS>:setvar retry 3 <SYS>:echo exit > tmp1 <SYS>:setvar line1 "while count < !retry" <SYS>:setvar line2 "run ftp.arpa.sys < tmp1" <SYS>:!line1 *** EXPRESSION TRUE <SYS>:!line2 File Transfer Protocol [A0008S33] (C) Hewlett-Packard Co. 1990 ftp> exit END OF PROGRAM <SYS>:setvar count 4 <SYS>:endwhile *** RESUME EXECUTION OF COMMANDS <SYS>: Regards Paul Christidis