>>But, for the sake of progress, let's agree that it is a "bug" in one's own code. Why does it try to "help" me in such a useless way??? Why doesn't it do as it does with countless other conditions that may arise because of MY logic errors - raise an EXCEPTION????
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>It makes sense to me if I look at it this way. I am testing my app. I forgot to open a file. VFP is giving me the chance to open the file with a dialog. I could just quit the app at that point, fix it in code, and start testing from the top again - or - I could designate a file in Ope dialog, and continue testing - and fix the open error later.

If it was a setting, you could still have it that way, or even if you Set FileOpenDialog OFF, you could have your error handler know you're in development, let you suspend, open the file manually, take note and continue the run.