>I've just started to explore the dataenvironment and cursoradapter as subclasses. I am wondering if there is a way that is generally accepted as better than others for using these classes. It appears that I can either drop a DE class on a form, instantiate it in code in the form init, or use the DEclass property. Of those three methods which way is considered best? (or if there is something I don't know about please enlighten me!)

Um... not the form's init, but form's load. You want the tables open before the controls instantiate, and form's init happens later. You can use the new .bindcontrols property and bind them after DE object is created.