I have implemented my MVVM error message as a message dialog that subscribes to error messages via a mediator class, so that other viewmodels can notify it if any errors occ
i'm using the same method as Scott Whitlock.
there is just one more important property to set:
class ModalDialog: Window { } . . . var dlg = new ModalDialog { Content = viewModelName, **TopMost = true,** Parent = mainWindowViewModel }; dlg.ShowDialog();