DOCUMENT:Q194612  16-JUN-1999  [foxpro]
TITLE   :FIX: AlwaysOnTop Property Always Returns .F. For TopLevel Forms
PRODUCT :Microsoft FoxPro
PROD/VER:WINDOWS:6.0
OPER/SYS:
KEYWORDS:kbservicepack kbvfp600 kbvfp600bug kbVS600sp2 kbVS600SP1 kbVS600sp3fix

======================================================================
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

 - Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, version 6.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

You can use the AlwaysOnTop property of a Visual FoxPro form in conjunction with
a TopLevel form to create an application that prevents other windows from
covering the applications window. Changing the AlwaysOnTop property at run-time
changes the behavior of the form, but querying the property value always returns
.F. This behavior only exists when the ShowWindow property of the form is set to
2 - As TopLevel Form.

RESOLUTION
==========

You can use a custom property and an AlwaysOnTop Assign method to work around
this problem. The following code uses a custom form property called
AlwaysOnTop_Actual to store the actual setting of the AlwaysOnTop property of
the form. The value of this custom property changes in the AlwaysOnTop_Assign
method:

      PUBLIC ox
         ox = NewObject("test")
         ox.Show
         ?ox.AlwaysOnTop_Actual
         ox.AlwaysOnTop = .F.
         ?ox.AlwaysOnTop_Actual
         ox.AlwaysOnTop = .T.
         ?ox.AlwaysOnTop_Actual

      DEFINE CLASS test AS form
         ShowWindow = 2
         AlwaysOnTop = .T.
         AlwaysOnTop_Actual = .T.

         PROCEDURE AlwaysOnTop_Assign
            LPARAMETERS vNewVal
            This.AlwaysOnTop_Actual = vNewVal
            THIS.AlwaysOnTop = m.vNewVal
         ENDPROC

      ENDDEFINE

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the
beginning of this article.

This bug was corrected in Visual Studio 6.0 Service Pack 3. For more information
about Visual Studio service packs, please see the following articles in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   Q194022 INFO: Visual Studio 6.0 Service Packs, What, Where, Why

   Q194295 HOWTO: Tell That Visual Studio 6.0 Service Packs Are Installed

MORE INFORMATION
================

Steps to Reproduce Behavior
---------------------------

Run the following program code:

      PUBLIC ox
         ox = NewObject("test")
         ox.Show
         ?ox.AlwaysOnTop
         ox.AlwaysOnTop = .F.
         ?ox.AlwaysOnTop
         ox.AlwaysOnTop = .T.
         ?ox.AlwaysOnTop

      DEFINE CLASS test AS form
         ShowWindow = 2
         AlwaysOnTop = .T.
      ENDDEFINE

Note the querying the AlwaysOnTop property always returns .F.

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbservicepack kbvfp600 kbvfp600bug kbVS600sp2 kbVS600SP1 kbVS600sp3fix 
Technology        : kbVFPsearch kbAudDeveloper kbVFP600
Version           : WINDOWS:6.0
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS
PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND.  MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS
ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES
OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  IN NO
EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR
ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF
MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE
POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.  SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION
OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES
SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1999.