keeping non-modal dialog on top of the main form

you can try this:

procedure TForm1.FormActivate(Sender: TObject);
begin
  if (not Form2.Visible) then
    Form2.Show;
  Form2.BringToFront;
end;

ziolko.

unit Unit1;

interface

uses
  Windows, Messages, SysUtils, Variants, Classes, Graphics, Controls, Forms,
  Dialogs, StdCtrls;

type
  TForm1 = class(TForm)
    Button1: TButton;
    procedure FormCreate(Sender: TObject);
  private
    { Private declarations }
    Form2: TForm;
  public
    { Public declarations }
  end;

var
  Form1: TForm1;

implementation

{$R *.dfm}

procedure TForm1.FormCreate(Sender: TObject);
begin
  Form2 := TForm.Create(Self);
  with Form2 do begin
    FormStyle := fsStayOnTop;
    Show;
  end;
end;

end.

the fsstayontop attribute makes the window stay on top of all windows not just the parent window.  the bringtofront does not make it stay on top.