Gambas2 problems seeing relationships

[techwiz03]

Hi
I'm trying find a suitable replacement for xbasic. While the new xbasic pde works in openSUSE 11.0 and 11.1, the functionality of the forms designer doesn't work in 11.0 or 11.1. Specifically, as soon as you ask it to create the forms code the program crashes with a segment fault.

Searching the forums advised to try Gambas2. It looks like it might fit the bill but I just can't figure out the relationships between the parts of the process.

1) Scope: The documentation explains about local variables not
living outside of the sub or function they are defined in and provide lots of examples. Simple variables are explained as being able to be defined both local and public. The Public form doesn't work in a form1.class though
The problem I am having is I want a simple 3 dimenisional
string array that can be referenced by all routines in the program.
2) Persistance: How can I force routines to remember the values
from the last time the routine was entered. I keep getting an error [STATIC not allowed in procedures]
3) Access: The information made a vague reference to not being
able to pass results between Forms or Forms routines. Basically it eludes to forcing you to use a module and hand off values from the form to a module routine and then pass it to another form routine from there. This too I tried and even fully qualified reference to the form construct results in an error.

Does anyone know the answers or any links that explain how to do these things? It would be much appreciated.