>I'm not sure about a couple things regarding how some of my forms are acting when running from the executable outside of the development environment. First, I have a login in screen that requires a mouse click in order to give it the focus.

You're using a form with ShowWindow proper set to "as top level".
Also, make it sure that you have READ EVENTS in your main program.

PROCEDURE mainprogram
   SET EXCL OFF
   SET blah...blah
   DO FORM mymainform
   READ EVENTS
   CLOSE ALL
   CLEAR ALL
ENDPROC

Make sure that you have CLEAR EVENTS somewhere in your exit procedure to terminate the READ EVENTS foundation.

>Also, is it usual for each form that is opened to show an occurrance in the task bar?

If modules are integrated into a single application, AFAIK, it's not smart.

>I was expecting that there would be one main application instance and then all others would not show. Can someone also help me understand how the _screen object should be used?

See above example. Actually, whether you're using _SCREEN vfp object as your main screen or not, it should work the same.

>I set the visible property to .F. and that's when the focus problems seemed to start with the subsequent login form, but I do not want the main screen to show behind the application.

You config.fpw should have SCREEN = OFF

>There must be some correct (or at least acceptable and proven) ways to handle these dependencies between the main foxpro form, the environment and occurrances of subsequent forms. I feel like this is Visual 101, but I've done some cool and professional things with the app overall, but now that it's time to deliver I'm having problems with this stuff. As always, thanks for your help!
>
>Regards, Renoir