That's what I was thinking as well. The VFP help description of the differences was confusing me. Thanks.

>IMO, it should return the exact same value Value returns in this instance.
>
>>I was just wondering which way is proper, and how another programmer might expect it to work. For example:
>>
>>

with txtPath
>>    .value = "c:\SomeFolder\SomeOtherFolder"
>>    ** The value_assign fires and changes the passed value to "c:\...\SomeOtherFolder"
>>
>>    x = .value
>>    ** The value_access fires, retrieves the real value and returns "c:\SomeFolder\SomeOtherFolder"
>>
>>    x = .text
>>    ** Should this return "c:\SomeFolder\SomeOtherFolder" or "c:\...\SomeOtherFolder"?
>>endwith

>>
>>
>>>>I have a text box class with an value_access and value_assign method that formats the text that gets displayed in the textbox. It is for displaying a folder path and it chops the string down so it fits in the textbox.
>>>>
>>>>The value_assign stores the real value in a custom prop, chops the string, and passes it on.
>>>>
>>>>The value_access retrieves the real value, and returns that.
>>>>
>>>>My question is should I add a text_access method that retrieves the true value or should text retrieve the displayed (chopped) value?
>>>
>>>Whatever you want to return. If you have an _assign method, you may, or may not, want to also have an _access method, depending on your needs.
>>>
>>>If it pleases you to get a property "as is", you don't need an _access method. If you want additional processing done, you can add the _access method.
>>>
>>>Hilmar.