Bela,
Assuming VFP is using GDI services on paint to really determine what the .Width is then maybe it could be faked out by adding a copy of the label to an offscreen form or _screen (with ForeColor=BackColor) to get it to invisibly paint and "size".
>summarized: as Big Brother would say: it is by design.
>(Like built-in-machine-slowdoner in every MS Win version)