Well if you want something quick and dirty, try this:

1. Create a simple little program like this (your property will vary depending on what you're updating)

acnt=aselobj(xcont)
for idx=1 to acnt
   if type("xcont[idx].backcolor")#"U"
      xcont[idx].backcolor=rgb(0,255,0)
   endif
endfor

2. In the form designer, select all the controls you want to update.
3. Move to the Command Window and run the program you created in #1.

In this case, the backcolor of all the selected textbox controls (or others if they have a backcolor property) will be set to green. This essentially mimics what a builder could do without putting it in VFP's framework for builders. I used to feel like you that creating a builder would be a time consuming task, but in reality, there's not much to it.

Scott

>Scott,
>
>Nah... I think I'll either just change the values manually or wait for someone else to build the tool. :-) Seriously, I don't think I have the time to write a builder right now, but it definately would be nice if a tool or method already existed that I could use. Thanks for the suggestion though...
>
>Renoir
>
>>Hi Renoir -
>>
>>This sounds like a perfect opportunity to create a builder. Take a look at "Using Builder.dbf" in the VFP help file. Other VFP functions you might want to look at are ASELOBJ(), READEXPRESSION(), WRITEEXPRESSION(), READMETHOD(), WRITEMETHOD(), and RESETTODEFAULT().
>>
>>Good luck,
>>Scott
>>
>>>Specific example: Any existing tool or simple way - not involving manually changing the meta file - for changing a particular property or method for all the Textboxes in a Grid during design time. Thanks!
>>>
>>>Regards, Renoir