Can anyone explain this...

Attached you should find testform.zip.  This is a simple test.vbp:
frmTest has two buttons (exit, getfile).  Inside the getfile_click is
the following code:

   Private Sub Command2_Click()
      frmGetFile.Tag = "d:\temp\"
      MsgBox "Before GetFile: " & Chr(13) & Chr(10) & frmGetFile.Tag
      frmGetFile.Show 1
      MsgBox frmGetFile.Tag
   End Sub

Inside frmGetFile form_load is:
   Private Sub Form_Load()
      'update the directory lblDirName label with the
      'path value of the directory list box
      MsgBox "Inside GetFile: " & Chr(13) & Chr(10) & Me.Tag
      If Me.Tag = "" Then
         drvDrive.Drive = App.Path
         dirDirectory.Path = App.Path
      Else
         drvDrive.Drive = Me.Tag
         dirDirectory.Path = Me.Tag
      End If
      lblDirName.Caption = dirDirectory.Path
   End Sub

Now here is the problem.  When I click on GetFile (ie.
cammand2_click), I see the msgbox listed inside the frmGetFile
form_load event, and then the msgbox in the command2_click event.  Why
is this?  Secondly, when it shows the msgbox from inside frmGetFile
form_load, it shows Me.Tag is "".  Why can I set the Tag inside the
form, but not before calling the form?

I want to use frmGetFile as my default open file form for a couple of
small apps I'm working with.  It is my understanding that I can't use
the commondialog FileOpen or FileSave with VB4 16bit is this correct?
Or am I just beating myself over the head for no reason?

All help appreciated!

Mark

I think that there are some design issues here that you need to
address. Essentially you are trying to assign a property to a form
that is not loaded and then load the form.

At first look, it would seem that you want to get the directory
manipulation code out of the fom load event altogether.

Why not load the form from your first procedure and then have code in
the first procedure that sets the path to whatever you like and then
yields control to the form ?

I hope this is clear

What you might want to do is move your code to the activate event instead
of the load event.  That way, the form will load, the tag will be set and
then your code will actually run when you do the modal show.

JJ Brychell          - My opinions are my own and not necessarily