Setting metric of a form:

   f = new form()

   ? f.metric          // returns: 0 (chars)

   f.height = 20     //   set form's  height to 20 chars

   f.metric = 6        // change metric to be pixels

   ? f.height          // returns 440.00  (20 chars has been converted to 440 pixels)


Setting metric of a custom component:

   Class Test(oParent) of Container(oParent) Custom

      with (this)

         left = 1

         top = 1

         width = 50

         height = 40

         metric = 6   // Declare components size and coordinate values to be in Pixels

      endwith

   Endclass


In class Test, the line metric = 6 tells dBASE that the current values of left, top, width, and height are specified in pixels.
At runtime, when metric=6 is executed, dBASE compares the specified metric (6) with the metric for the parent container specified by oParent.   
If the metric's are different, dBASE automatically converts the values of left, top, width, and height from their current values (in pixels) to their equivalent values in the parent container's metric.