diff --git a/PROMS/VEPROMS.CSLA.Library/Config/SectionConfig.cs b/PROMS/VEPROMS.CSLA.Library/Config/SectionConfig.cs
index 3dc9de80..9f62c796 100644
--- a/PROMS/VEPROMS.CSLA.Library/Config/SectionConfig.cs
+++ b/PROMS/VEPROMS.CSLA.Library/Config/SectionConfig.cs
@@ -278,8 +278,16 @@ namespace VEPROMS.CSLA.Library
 				 //If there is no parent value, then use the volian default
 				if (s == string.Empty)
 				{
-					bool rval = MyFormat.PlantFormat.FormatData.SectData.StepSectionData.StepSectionLayoutData.BreakOnSections;
-					return (rval)? SectionPagination.Separate : SectionPagination.Continuous;// default to volian default
+					if (MyFormat != null)
+					{
+						bool rval = MyFormat.PlantFormat.FormatData.SectData.StepSectionData.StepSectionLayoutData.BreakOnSections;
+						return (rval) ? SectionPagination.Separate : SectionPagination.Continuous;// default to volian default
+					}
+					else
+					{
+						bool rval = MyDefaultFormat.PlantFormat.FormatData.SectData.StepSectionData.StepSectionLayoutData.BreakOnSections;
+						return (rval) ? SectionPagination.Separate : SectionPagination.Continuous;// default to volian default
+					}
 				}
 
 				return (SectionPagination)int.Parse(s);
@@ -424,8 +432,16 @@ namespace VEPROMS.CSLA.Library
 				// If there is no parent value, then use the volian default
 				if (s == string.Empty)
 				{
-					int rval = (int)MyFormat.PlantFormat.FormatData.SectData.StepSectionData.StepSectionLayoutData.PMode;
-					return (SectionColumnMode)rval;//SectionColumnMode.Two; //SectionColumnMode.Default;// default to volian default
+					if (MyFormat != null)
+					{
+						int rval = (int)MyFormat.PlantFormat.FormatData.SectData.StepSectionData.StepSectionLayoutData.PMode;
+						return (SectionColumnMode)rval;//SectionColumnMode.Two; //SectionColumnMode.Default;// default to volian default
+					}
+					else
+					{
+						int rval = (int)MyDefaultFormat.PlantFormat.FormatData.SectData.StepSectionData.StepSectionLayoutData.PMode;
+						return (SectionColumnMode)rval;
+					}
 				}
 				else
 					return (SectionColumnMode)int.Parse(s);
diff --git a/PROMS/Volian.Controls.Library/StepRTB.cs b/PROMS/Volian.Controls.Library/StepRTB.cs
index c876d668..8b60053d 100644
--- a/PROMS/Volian.Controls.Library/StepRTB.cs
+++ b/PROMS/Volian.Controls.Library/StepRTB.cs
@@ -474,7 +474,7 @@ namespace Volian.Controls.Library
 		{
 			_MouseDown = true;
 			//Console.WriteLine("vvvvvvvvvv StepRTB Mouse Down id= {0}",MyItemInfo.ItemID);
-			if (!_ContextMenuStripChanged)
+			if (!_ContextMenuStripChanged && this.MyStepItem != null)
 				this.MyStepItem.MyStepPanel.MyStepTabPanel.MyStepTabRibbon.SetContextMenu();
 			_ContextMenuStripChanged = false;
 		}
@@ -1357,50 +1357,53 @@ namespace Volian.Controls.Library
 		{
 			if (e.Control)
 			{
-				if (e.Alt)
+				if (this.MyStepItem != null)
 				{
-					switch (e.KeyCode)
+					if (e.Alt)
 					{
-						case Keys.M:
-							this.MyStepItem.MyStepPanel.MyStepTabPanel.MyStepTabRibbon.btnAnnots_Click(sender, e);
-							e.Handled = true;
-							break;
-						default:
-							break;
+						switch (e.KeyCode)
+						{
+							case Keys.M:
+								this.MyStepItem.MyStepPanel.MyStepTabPanel.MyStepTabRibbon.btnAnnots_Click(sender, e);
+								e.Handled = true;
+								break;
+							default:
+								break;
+						}
 					}
-				}
-				if (e.Shift)
-				{
-					switch (e.KeyCode)
+					if (e.Shift)
 					{
-						case Keys.F:
-							this.MyStepItem.MyStepPanel.MyStepTabPanel.MyStepTabRibbon.ShortCutContextMenu("InsFigure");
-							e.Handled = true;
-							break;
-						case Keys.T:
-							this.MyStepItem.MyStepPanel.MyStepTabPanel.MyStepTabRibbon.ShortCutContextMenu("InsTable");
-							e.Handled = true;
-							break;
-						case Keys.N:
-							this.MyStepItem.MyStepPanel.MyStepTabPanel.MyStepTabRibbon.ShortCutContextMenu("InsNote");
-							e.Handled = true;
-							break;
-						case Keys.C:
-							this.MyStepItem.MyStepPanel.MyStepTabPanel.MyStepTabRibbon.ShortCutContextMenu("InsCaution");
-							e.Handled = true;
-							break;
-						case Keys.S:
-							this.MyStepItem.MyStepPanel.MyStepTabPanel.MyStepTabRibbon.ShortCutContextMenu("InsSubStps");
-							e.Handled = true;
-							break;
-						case Keys.H:
-							this.MyStepItem.MyStepPanel.MyStepTabPanel.MyStepTabRibbon.ShortCutContextMenu("InsHLS");
-							e.Handled = true;
-							break;
-						case Keys.R:
-							this.MyStepItem.MyStepPanel.MyStepTabPanel.MyStepTabRibbon.ShortCutContextMenu("InsRNO");
-							e.Handled = true;
-							break;
+						switch (e.KeyCode)
+						{
+							case Keys.F:
+								this.MyStepItem.MyStepPanel.MyStepTabPanel.MyStepTabRibbon.ShortCutContextMenu("InsFigure");
+								e.Handled = true;
+								break;
+							case Keys.T:
+								this.MyStepItem.MyStepPanel.MyStepTabPanel.MyStepTabRibbon.ShortCutContextMenu("InsTable");
+								e.Handled = true;
+								break;
+							case Keys.N:
+								this.MyStepItem.MyStepPanel.MyStepTabPanel.MyStepTabRibbon.ShortCutContextMenu("InsNote");
+								e.Handled = true;
+								break;
+							case Keys.C:
+								this.MyStepItem.MyStepPanel.MyStepTabPanel.MyStepTabRibbon.ShortCutContextMenu("InsCaution");
+								e.Handled = true;
+								break;
+							case Keys.S:
+								this.MyStepItem.MyStepPanel.MyStepTabPanel.MyStepTabRibbon.ShortCutContextMenu("InsSubStps");
+								e.Handled = true;
+								break;
+							case Keys.H:
+								this.MyStepItem.MyStepPanel.MyStepTabPanel.MyStepTabRibbon.ShortCutContextMenu("InsHLS");
+								e.Handled = true;
+								break;
+							case Keys.R:
+								this.MyStepItem.MyStepPanel.MyStepTabPanel.MyStepTabRibbon.ShortCutContextMenu("InsRNO");
+								e.Handled = true;
+								break;
+						}
 					}
 				}
 			}
@@ -1503,8 +1506,11 @@ namespace Volian.Controls.Library
 						e.Handled = true;
 						break;
 					case Keys.Enter:
-						this.MyStepItem.MyStepPanel.MyStepTabPanel.MyStepTabRibbon.btnInsPgBrk_Click(sender, e);
-						e.Handled = true;
+						if (this.MyStepItem != null)
+						{
+							this.MyStepItem.MyStepPanel.MyStepTabPanel.MyStepTabRibbon.btnInsPgBrk_Click(sender, e);
+							e.Handled = true;
+						}
 						break;
 				}
 			}
@@ -1668,15 +1674,18 @@ namespace Volian.Controls.Library
 					e.Handled = true;
 					break;
 				case Keys.F5:
-					if (e.Shift)
+					if (this.MyStepItem != null)
 					{
-						e.Handled = true;
-						this.MyStepItem.MyStepPanel.MyStepTabPanel.MyStepTabRibbon.ShortCutContextMenu("StepPaste");
-					}
-					else if (!e.Control && !e.Alt)
-					{
-						e.Handled = true;
-						this.MyStepItem.MyStepPanel.MyStepTabPanel.MyStepTabRibbon.DoCopyStep();
+						if (e.Shift)
+						{
+							e.Handled = true;
+							this.MyStepItem.MyStepPanel.MyStepTabPanel.MyStepTabRibbon.ShortCutContextMenu("StepPaste");
+						}
+						else if (!e.Control && !e.Alt)
+						{
+							e.Handled = true;
+							this.MyStepItem.MyStepPanel.MyStepTabPanel.MyStepTabRibbon.DoCopyStep();
+						}
 					}
 					break;
 				case Keys.F6:
@@ -1690,7 +1699,7 @@ namespace Volian.Controls.Library
 				case Keys.Enter:
 					if (!e.Control && !e.Shift && !e.Alt)
 					{
-						if (!MyStepItem.MyItemInfo.IsTablePart)
+						if (MyStepItem != null && !MyStepItem.MyItemInfo.IsTablePart)
 						{
 							e.Handled = true;
 							MyStepItem.MyStepPanel.MyStepTabPanel.MyStepTabRibbon.ProcessEnterKey();