Hi Geoff

My few testings with FormFun for this asssumed that you want a resizable
form and a modeless form. A standard userform can be used like
Userform1.Show vbModeless

and it's modeless, you can access the worksheet, the menus, anything. Try
that too with FormFun's "Show" and it's modeless, ok, but after unloading
everything locks up. It's own Modal toggle will allow you to access the
worksheet, but not the Excel menus. And it's made with quite a few Windows
API calls that, unless you really understand them, may cause problems during
programming and also running. I have not yet succeeded in making it behave
real modeless and may well never get there... If you can live without
maximize-minimize and accompanying Windows code then things are far far
easier; fixed-size modeless form and that's it.

My VB6 idea is based on its robust form design using quite standard
components. It is by no means easy to do either, except that VB6 and VBA use
the very same language engine. Here's an article on how to get started with
an Office add-in:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=238228
but don't go that way unless you really want this to be fantastic or you
feel that the experience and knowledge is valuable.

I guess I'm expected to promote the new Visual Studio Tools for Office too,
but they are only for latest Office version, Windows XP and language
VB.Net -if you feel that VB6 has a steep learning curve then that's
vertical. But really good once there, and in near future the only way to do
it I guess.

There are btw ways to store form settings/data and reload them, so if
loosing data on unload/reload is the real concern then it can be solved.

--
HTH. Best wishes Harald
Followup to newsgroup only please

"Geoff" skrev i melding
...
To Harald Staff, for others, please see my first query
dated 13th, now 4 pages back!
Your comments on FormFun and 'real' VB6 forms are most
interesting. I have very recently(ie yesterday) been
given access to VB6 but have never used it before. I did
note however the automatic install of minimize/maximise
buttons on forms and this may offer a quick solution to
my problem though not without some required learning.

I have just finished what to me is a sizable wbook
project in VBA, in all nearly 6000 lines of code. My aim
was always to work within the constraints of a modal
form. After thorough testing I have not had any code
based bugs from the users so far. However, the users now
say they can get incoming queries which may demand
accessibility to other applications. This means either
closing the data input form with loss of data etc or
delaying their responses hence the request for
minimize/maximise functionality and my dilemma. This on
the one hand is to try and comprehend FormFun's code (no
criticism intended) and adapt it to my project or go on a
quick learning curve and create a VB6 addin with all the
necessary window state precautions etc. The latter means
I would also have to re-think my strategy on menus as for
simplicity I have used six autoshapes each with a macro
attached.

So a VB6 solution is not without a lot of effort but you
suggest a VB6 'real' form is the more robust way. I
accept your experience but why do you feel a FormFun
adaptation is perhaps less robust and do the misgivings
involve minimize/maximize functions?

Thanks for the thought provoking comments so far.

Geoff