>>The whole idea is that you don't need to create an object (which is a class instantiation). You need to create a class. In the class definition you can overwrite the methods of the base control/ActiveXDLL/ActiveX/OCX.
>
>Exactly. That's why I think I'm close. I'm trying to follow the example in help on DEFINE CLASS, and I can't get it to work. I keep getting syntax errors when I try to add an object (not mine, but a real ActiveX control)

This is a quick&dirty code sample of what you can do. Pointers.PointersCtrl.1 is one of my ActiveXs created in VC++. It's inivisible at runtime, etc.

oTemp = CREATEOBJECT('MyContainer')  && Create a Form

*-- This calls the Test method
oTemp.oleObjectExample.Test()
oTemp.oleObjectExample.DeleteAll()

DEFINE CLASS oleClassExample AS OleControl
	OleClass ="POINTERS.PointersCtrl.1"
	*-- This is a new method (the ActiveX doesn't have it)
	PROCEDURE Test
		WAIT WINDOW "I'm the test message on the screen..."
	ENDPROC
	
	*-- This is a redefinition of the original
	*   DeleteAll method.
	FUNCTION DeleteAll
		*-- Call the ancestor's DeleteAll method
		DODEFAULT()
		WAIT WINDOW "Now we are in the DeleteAll method..."
	ENDFUNC
ENDDEFINE

DEFINE CLASS MyContainer AS Form
	ADD OBJECT oleObjectExample AS oleClassExample 
ENDDEFINE

Vlad