for some inexplicable reason the hotkey would not work unless the intialising of it was done in DPR file. Other programs work ok within PAS file, so if any of u have similar do what I did here in DPR: begin Application.Initialize; Application.Title := 'CamSnap'; Application.HelpFile := 'Camsnap.hlp'; Application.CreateForm(TCamForm, CamForm); RegisterHotKey(CamForm.Handle, 0, 0, VK_SNAPSHOT); //dont forget to destroy the key on formclose --------------------------------------------------------------------------- New Zealand Delphi Users group - Delphi List - [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://www.delphi.org.nz