>>How can I force a menu Item (like Help) to be available when I have a modal form open?
>
>Paul,
>
>The standard way is to provide the functionality with buttons or shortcut menus, but it CAN be done with the regular menu. First, create menu pads that you want to have available, such as Edit, Help, etc. These should replace the menu pads of your standard menu. Place code in the following form events:
>
>Activate:
>PUSH MENU _MSYSMENU
>
>GotFocus:
>DO Edit.Mpr
>DO Help.Mpr
>
>Deactivate:
>POP MENU _MSYSMENU

Are you sure this will work with Modals? I use my own menus for everything, and nothing on a menu/toolbar is accessible when a modal is active in vfp5 or 6, though in 6 you can see them (disabled). Of course the major reason I use modals is to restrict toolbar/menu access, anyway. When needed, I use buttons/popups, as you say...