>>>I think so - you shouldn't run a form from an init(), where not everything has completed yet. Activate is the the better place to do it, with a logical property, if needed, to tell if it should be run or not...
>>
>>
>>Bruce,
>>
>>I tried putting the code, with a logical test in the activate after dodefault and before dodefault but only the outline of form1 appears before the form2 comes up. Strange, huh?
>
>Try putting it in the form1 gotfocus instead, see how that works...

I suspect that something is being done to the form1 after form3 is initiated. Why not just do the following:

IF WEXIST("Form3")
    _Screen.Form3.Show()
ENDIF

?