>One of the features I really like about this method is that I can make column 1 = code + descrip. So data entry people familiar with the codes can just type the code and incremental search will fill the combo with the right item. People unfamiliar can drop down the combo to find the correct entry.

Here's the problem... imagine your scenerio... but, instead of one SalesRep foreign in the main table, there are 7. Also, each relation contains 3,000 possible choices... so, 3000 X 7 = 21,000 records you pull in just to display this form.

I have a simmilar issue to the initial problem here... I came up with two possible solutions...

1. A textbox class that displays the single Business Key which was queried via a view parameter. The class would also contain method code to provided a picklist of values, only when the user needed this picklist would the query pull in all the possible selections.

2. A combobox that as is said above is based on a query into an array. In the init, only the matching choice is pulled in... if the user pulls down the combo, a new query is done that includes all the choices... sort of delayed instantiation.

BOb