>>>>>>>For highlighting the current item the above mentioned properties should be used. What exactly do you mean by plain old BackColor?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Just the backcolor of the listbox whether there are items in it or not.
>>>>>
>>>>>I see - looks like there is no property for that. You can use transparent shape technique, I guess.
>>>>
>>>>perhaps it is a class issue rechecking...........
>>>>
>>>>In my class definition of the listbox, in the gotfocus event I have
>>>>=MESSAGEBOX("class gotfocus")
>>>>but the message never gets displayed. Shouldn't it?
>>>
>>>With listbox you may also take a look at When event and Click event.
>>
>>I don't have anything assigned to the when or click event in either the listbox or it's parent.
>>but as per above, shouldn't the message get displayed?
>
>Hi Timothy,
>
>In the listbox sometimes instead of GotFocus when event got fired. I don't remember specifics, but I do remember my former colleague Mike Asherman mentioned some idiosyncrasies (very hard word!) in the listbox behavior. I do remember from his comments to use When event and click event - that's all I know

I figured maybe that's what u meant. But u were initially correct about selecteditemforecolor. My problem was dueling events in different controls, my bad. But thanks!