>Really? why is that? I thought that the only stupid question was the one that you didn't ask < s >. (Not you personally, of course.)

My math instructor at UT Austin told class that well designed software should run processes with a few branches as possible. My strengths are not so much the nuts and bolts of syntax or the nuances of OOP vernaculer. I seem to have some success with formalizing the requirement, writing the specs and delivering a cost and delivery estimate. So I am always on the prowel for code gurus like you to help me with the geeky stuff. I don't really have a clue as to what I am doing - but it is good to ask and listen to those who do.

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>On thing that maybe different is that the forms in the project are "In Top Level Form" inside a "Top Level Form", and the names are public.
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>Why are you using public variables? Why not just use a form manager object that tracks the open forms with a collection property?

My apps allow users to open several forms at once. Changes in one form affect what is output to another. When the projects are PRG form classes, and All I have to do is hide or show a form, it it is not necessary to consider the forms availability. The forms are always available (just not seen). In these cases, if we review VFP documentation, the form name has to be a public variable.

When I develop apps that offer a suite of interconnected/interactive MDI forms visually, the names have to be public. ARe you able to force a n action on form B from form A without form B being publicly referneced. A lot of us do one form services and inlay modal popups for the extras. I , for better or worse, am an all MDI guy (modeless) and can/will present several forms servicing different pieces of the data at the same time.

I have my framworks for data session management - it works well. Yet even in those cases, the forms name has to be public so that the references have something to point to.

How do you solve the problem? Two (or more forms) where a change on one (like a navigator object) affects the output and processes (even may call a method of an alien form:). Are you able to reference "other" MDI forms without a public handle. Top level with in top-level applications. How do you do it? I know modal development does not have to weigh this issue. I know many of us still rely on nested modal form services. Every thing seems to get trickier when several interconnected MDI forms are pushing pixels and processes and waiting for events.

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>The issue arises when the main form is X-CLosed, and the housekeeping code checks for (and subsequently closes) any open (TYPE="O") "contained" forms.
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>Hmmm. Difficult for me to comment on what is going on without seeing the code < s >...

There was code in the thread I references in an earlier mthod. I think Mark looked at it. It's working now - I have not yet gone back to my VFP 6 projects to see how I did it there - I hope to do that in the next few days.