>How about explicitly setting as:

>with <i>container_name</i>
>   .Visible = .t.
>   with .oleControl.<b>Object</b>
>      .Visible = .t.
>      .Height = yyy
>      .Width = xxx
>   endwith
>endwith

mark -

the SETFOCUS (for whatever strange reason is what i needed to do).

THISFORM.my_container.ole_control.OBJECT does not have a VISIBLE property
(or a height, width, left, top). those are properties of
activeX "container", not the object...

i found that by trying just what you suggested.

do you happen to know of any white paper or other reference that
describes / discusses the distinction between the oleContainer
and the oleContainer.OBJECT ??

the only property of the OBJECT that i'm sure of (the only one that
i have actually used), is VALUE (to set the date in this case).

would a type library show what the other properties / methods of the
OBJECT itself are ?

thanks for your help