Displaying text in combobox

[tylerg11]

I have a combobox with two columns. The first column is the bound value, but hidden (width is 0"). The second is what the user sees, and when selected it stores the value in the first column. However, if an item is removed from the list, even if it was selected in old records, the combobox will appear as blank on those old records even though the bound value exists for that record. Because the first column is hidden, the LimitToList property cannot be set to No. So now I have records that don't display properly. Is there any way to programmatically have the combobox display these old records on the form?

[RuralGuy]

What is the RowSource of your ComboBox?

[tylerg11]

A query with two columns that queries for active employees. First column is employee number, and the second is employee name. Once they are no longer flagged as inactive, they do not appear on the query, which would also mean the combobox. Now, records entered by former employee appear blank even though their employee number is in the db. I want to show their name (without them being in the list), regardless if they are active or not.

[RuralGuy]

You are asking for a paradox. You may need to show *all* employees but inhibit what inactive employees do when selected.

[tylerg11]

You are asking for a paradox. You may need to show *all* employees but inhibit what inactive employees do when selected.

I don't want them to be selected. They were in the list in the past, but now that they aren't, they don't show at all.

[RuralGuy]

They don't show because they are no longer in the RowSource of the ComboBox.

[tylerg11]

I know that, and I don't want them to. I want to know if there is a way to programatically look up the employee number is the table record, and use that to display their name in the combo box text field portion...not list.

[RuralGuy]

You could display the name in a TextBox on your form using a DLookup().

[tylerg11]

Would there be any change that I could use something like Me.ComboBox.Text so I wouldn't need another control?

[RuralGuy]

To what function are you using the ComboBox? You are asking to use a ComboBox an a manner to which it was not designed.