>Thanks - returning .f. does the trick to a degree but I really want to clear events as well so that the program closes - it doesn't seem that clear events can be called in the load event of a form or it doesn't appear to be taken notice of! I step through my code and the return .f. brings me back to my read events command (even if I issue clear events just before return .f. Any ideas? and thanks again

Try putting 'clear events' in the form.destroy method.