No, it really doesn't sound like a data problem...

>the data field is wide enough and i am storing field in the control source,
>this is strange I am running this in developement mode and live at the same
>time and both have the same problem on the same combo box, except the items
>are different that do not appear, like I said before as soon as the combo box
>looses focus the text is displayed. It just does not display when the combo box
>is closed. and that is only on certain items. I've deleted the items out of the
>database and added them back in and that didn't seem to help.