It never settles, so I avoid it as a resolve note. So I make sure it winds up in my lines, not the major seven. The flat VII really is a blue note, and can be used as another home note. All intervals can be linked with semitones. Strictly major music never uses the flat three and only uses the flat VII for the V chord.
Minor music is minor music.
I'll answer that next time. Those of you who have bought a copy of PlaneTalk will already know the secret to tracking all this stuff. And, as you're now finding out, it will never let you down. Thanks, by the way. All mail order, thanks to the Internet.