I would hope if that is the case microsoft would actually give the "File not found" error but then again this is microsoft stuff.

You would pretty much get the same error even if you tried to change a property like.

picture1temp.autoredraw = true

Pretty much found the answer i was hoping not to hear in an alternate thread.

http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.p...73#post1168173

In case anyone else wants the answer.

I ended up just putting two picture boxes on a form that had focus and moving them out of view.