>Thanks Lutz - if I make the form invisible int eh form designer, and then make it visible in the activate, or load event, it quits the flashing!
John

I have no idea if a change to VISIBLE in the designer will do anything for SCXs. At least it will do nothing for VCX classes.

I guess

DO FORM XYZ

will set visible = .t. itself, thats while I've told told to use

DO FORM XYZ NOSHOW

At least it seems useless, because ACTIVATE will only fire if the form is visible anyway. (The otherway around: Nothing is active while not visible)

Also I pointed you to INIT not to LOAD

Load comes first, then INIT, then ACTIVATE (and some others inbetween, for all I remember) Search the help for event order (or how ever it is named)
My €0,02:
....
Load (deals with tables to open automaticly)
....
Init if each object contained by your form from inside out (That is THISFORM.Container1.Container2.Textbox will init first, followed by THISFORM.Container1.Container2 then THISFORM.Container1)
INIT of the FORM itself
after form is visible:
...
forms ACTIVATE