In the following code, the <li> for level 2 will always be "current" even when I am in level 3 when the mode for level 2 parent menu should be "section" but it stays in current mode. However, if I go from level 3 to level 4, the menu of level 3 can show section and current two modes. I don't know why....maybe it's because menu(3) is using control menu while the level(2) are not?

to make it clearer, here's how the menu bar looks like: when you are in "level(3).title" the level(2).title shows class="current" other than class="section"
however, if like illustrated below you are in level(4), the level(3).title are in section mode

----------------------------------------
level(2).title | level(3).title | level(3).title
---------------|---------------|----------------
| level(4).title | level(4).title | level(4).title |

<ul>      
   <li class="$LinkingMode">
      <a href="$Level(2).Link" title="Go to the $Level(2).Title.XML page">
         <span>$Level(2).MenuTitle.XML</span>
      </a>
   </li>

   <% control Menu(3) %>   
         <li class="$LinkingMode">
            <a href="$Link" title="Go to the $Title.XML page">
               <span>$MenuTitle.XML</span>
            </a>
         </li>
   <% end_control %>
   
</ul>

Thanks Willr, that works

so the linkingmode only works with page control not a simple link , right?