Normaly i use public datassesion, not private datesession.
You said everytime you activate a form (even a opened one), you check and set the properties of the tables need in that particular form, this limits yours programs ....
1º you can't open a form twice at the same time
2º if a table is used in two form's in total separed ways, you have to check and set the record pointer's every time the form is activated, so the record pointer is where it was before.
3º if you have a two forms that descent of the same form class where and how do you control the tables ( they have the same definition !!!)

You are right when you are looking for data and want to return a value to the primary form, but there is another way to do this.

Nuno Brito