fluxbox maximizes under tasbar--init settings are correct though
 

I'm not sure but I believe the setting below

session.screen0.toolbar.onTop: true --in ~/.fluxbox/init

controls whether maximized windows are partially covered by toolbar on bottom. However even i
reload the config I still have toolbar covering bottom portion of any window that is maximized.

thanks for any suggestions.

You should be able to right-click the bottom toolbar, and be given a "Maximize over" option that you can check.

yes, I've tried this option and without it and result is the same. There is something else which might be related. I've installed windowmaker to try it out but I've since uninstalled it and went to fluxbox. The problem started at approximately the same time as I've switched to windowmaker.

Hmm. I'm not sure what to suggest.

My init file, when I've set, via right-clicking, the option to have windows maximise over the toolbar, reads as follows:

session.screen0.toolbar.maxOver: true
session.screen0.toolbar.onTop: False

well, I've went ahead, uninstalled and reinstalled fluxbox after deleting the .fluxbox folder. It works now.
thanks alot for your help