NEWERA --- passing variables

I have constructed my own supertable class (actually its a copy from AFCL). I have designed it to use freeform layout but I have fiddled some paramaters to create it as a gridform by changing the layout parameter at construction time. Unfortunately I have only tested it with the layout parameter "hard coded". I really need to set this parameter in the containing window and have the constructor of the supertable read it so that it is constructed as a freeform or a gridform. Am I missing something obvious but I just can't get the parameter from the window to the supertable constructor. -- Mike Ripley