Hi Tom,
In the expression:
thisform.currentTime.value=time(this.object.value)

<b>this</b> is a reference to the Olecontainer1.
<b>object</b> is a reference to the activeX control that you "dropped" on
       the container (datetime picker, or calendar).
<b>value</b> is a property of the activeX object.

From "outside" the olecontainer, i.e. anywhere other than a method of the activeX, the right term becomes:
...=time(thisform.olecontainer1.object.value).

As Cetin pointed out, you may have missed the .object reference in the right term of my assignment expressions.

If you press F1 when the activeX control is selected you get the complete PEM list for the activeX.

I'm not sure what you mean by "field" and "variable"... is it:
variable = custom property that you added to your form
field = some text box on the form bound to a field in a table?

dz