Hi Hilmar,

I think you've found no matter what you set them to, there is always the possiblity that they could have been that way already. So 2 ideas come to mind.

The hard way (or how a real programmer would do it).
Add a .disabledControls array prop to the container.
Add a .disableKids prop with an _assign

In the .disabledKids_assign method

if .T.
   spin through all controls saving a reference
   to ONLY those controls that are disabled in the
   .disabledControls array

   now just do a setall eanbled = .F.  call
else
   do a setall enabled = .T. call

   spin through the .disabledControls setting their
   .enabled = .F.
endif

The cheezy lamo way :)
slap a shape over the whole control with a label in the middle that says "Not Available".

hth


>If I disable a container-type element (container, grid, etc.), the elements inside can't be accessed, but there is no visible clue that they are disabled.
>
>I briefly considered something like changing the base classes, to disable all included elements (perhaps with an _assign method), but I see several problems with this. For instance, if I simply re-enabe the included elements, this will include elements formerly disabled, that I want to keep disabled for some reason.
>
>How do other developers deal with this situation?
>
>TIA, Hilmar.