>>>Thanks Terry - I will give that a try. I'm trying to learn about all the quirks in VFP 9, as relates to combos in grids. So first I want to get a combo working perfectly outside a grid, then move it to a column in my grid. Then compare how the combo works - inside vs outside the grid... So far, even with VFP 9, I cannot get the combo's dropdown list to remain open (when combo is in a grid).
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>>KEYBOARD '{F4}' PLAIN
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>>in the combo's SgotFocus() event
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>>will cause it to open auto when you focus on it
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>>>It closes as soon as I type any character. OTOH, outside of a grid, the combo stays dropped down as I type characters - performing incremental searches (as one would expect it to).
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>>You sure you've got the combo' Style prop. set as a drop-down list or combo? If you want to be able to type in it then set it to 0.
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>>FYI, I don't know if you know but "combo" stands for "Combination text box-drop-down list" (not surf & turf), for use when, say, you have a list of name titles, e.g. Mr, Mrs, Miss, Ms, and you want to enter something unusual, like "Capt", "Rev" or "WCom" (Wing Commander).
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>Yes, I have it's style set to 0 - Dropdown, yet the list closes upon typing anything. Not that I have its style set to List mode, but are you saying the dropdown list is designed to close as soon as you type anything (when style = List)?

So isn't that expected behaviour for a drop-down list?

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>I also have observed that when combo is in a grid, the first time I click on the combo's dropdown arrow, the list drops down for a brief instant, then closes. I have to click on it a 2nd time, and then the dropdown remains open. Until I type anything, at which point it closes. So I have 2 quirks occurring so far with combos inside a grid...

Did you put the code I mentioned, above, in its .GotFocus()? Not sure but I guess the first click is "swallowed" by the grid. Don't know why the combo jitters though. You'd need to set a breakpoint in the grid's .GotFocus() and trace what's hap[pening.

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>In my case the grid's column is a PartNumber field from a Products table. The combo is set up as 2 columns, PartNumber and PartDescription. I want the user to be able to type in the part number (if they know it), OR drop down a list of PartNumber/Description choices to pick from. I want the dropdown to incrementally search as they type. Am I asking for to much from this native combo control?

And is it NOT actually incrementally searching as you type, even though the list closes? Does it get there when you put a valid part no. in?