ok steve I had another use for this same tool. here's the sinario. You're an administrator on a network and you need to quickly send messages to your various workstations windows or linux all at once. e.g. The system will be undergoing maintinance for a period of x-y-z. please save all your work and log off now. that's the idea I had in mind. either way I'm sure that could be worked into your project. -- Whenever you find that you are on the side of the majority, it is time to reform. -- Mark Twain Shaun Oliver http://blindman.homelinux.org/~blindman/