thanks Viv. what i did was the following:

property_email = frmEmail.oEmail
form1.AddProperty("loEmail", property_email)
frmEmail.release()

i no longer see a reference to form2 (frmEmail).

I think this is what you mean. if not, let me know. if i don't add the variable as a property for thisform (form1), the variable isn't available to other parts of form1.

paul