>Actually, the OS is Windows XP SP3.
>
>Here is the problem.
>
>I added a timer to a form to "blink" the disabledbackground color of an edit box (just to draw attention to the message placed in it for newbies...)
>
>The problem is, it does not blink.
>
>I enable it, set the interval to 500 and then proceed through some code. The code has a 20 second loop in it that looks for a file to show up in a folder. As soon as this loop is finished, and I show up a messagebox on the screen, the editbox starts to blink THEN.
>
>So, does the loop kill the timer during the 20 seconds?
>
>Thanks!

Try to put DOEVENTS inside the loop. It this would not help, there is also a property to try to set.