>I was basically trying something similar:
>
>        CALL SETRECT(wndRect,0,30,626,480)
>        gMessPort& = FN NEWWINDOW(0,wndRect,"",0,_wProc,0,_true,0)
>        CALL SETPORT(gMessPort&)
>        CALL BACKCOLOR(_blackColor)
>        CALL SHOWWINDOW(gMessPort&)
>
>Even though the backcolor is set in the correct port and before the window
>is visible, it still opens as a white window until I put in a CLS statement.

If you put the CLS _before_ the SHOWWINDOW, it _should_ work... but don't 
forget to set BACKCOLOR to black again at the start of every window 
update.

Bill