You can use either, and it kind of depends on the circumstances which you want to use. Be warned that until the valid event fires the .Value is not written to the controlsource. So if the user hasn't left the field yet .Value != eval(.ControlSource)

>Which one is the better way to go in operating in code in a form?:
>with the 'thisform.textbox1.value' or with the 'alias.myfield'?
>asuming the textbox1 is bounded to the alias.myfield.