Although earlier versions of Visual FoxPro make it possible for you to use forms as output-only elements in an Automation server application, the two run-time libraries in Visual FoxPro handle this situation differently for out-of-process and for in-process servers.

Apartment-model threading support requires that in-process .dll Automation servers not have user interfaces. In Visual FoxPro 5.0, it was possible (though not recommended) to create an in-process .dll Automation server that had a user interface such as a form. You could use the form only for display because the form events were not supported. Since Visual FoxPro 6, if you attempt to create a user interface in an in-process .dll, Automation generates an error. This is referred to as unattended mode.

An out-of-process (.exe) Automation server can have a user interface. The Visual FoxPro function SYS(2335) enables you to disable UI and modal events for an out-of-process .exe Automation server so they can be handled remotely without user intervention. Modal events are created by user-defined modal forms, system dialogs, the MESSAGEBOX(В ) function and the WAIT command, and so on and normally require user input.