> >>then issue one command to firebird to insert from this table to your
> newly created table.
>
> without coming across as dense or unwilling to read on my own, what
> command would that be?

INSERT INTO MYNEWINTERNALTABLE (SELECT FIELD1, FIELD2, FIELD3, etc FROM
MYEXTERNALTABLE);

>
> > In addition, all null numeric values are stored as 0's in external
> tables (last time I heard).
>
> which refernce do i use for looking up more on this?
>
>

This is not correct. Create an external table and insert records into it.
You will see exactly how records are stored.
Alan