>I get the handle from a procedure that is run when the application starts. Right after I issue the opendatabase() command, I declare a public variable, use a view from the open database, and issue a cursorgetprop("ConnectionHandle") on that view.
>
>I believe the view is opened with the shared connection option.

Post the code in a working form that uses the handle and the code in the in the non-working form. Try to isolate both cases so there's code between the calls to the forms that would be interfering.