Tom-

>... and on it is a combo box that queries a database to give me a list of names.

Do you mean you query a table?

> (This works) Once the name is chosen, I need to create a variable for the chosen name to pass to a query.

Do you mean to a different query?

Do you need the value for the parameter of a paramaterized view?

(2)How do I refresh my original name query so that after I escape out of my search results and close the browse window to redisplay my list of names when the form is reactivated.

That is really confusingly phrased, Tom. Instead of making us try to untangle it, would you try to be clearer?

If you use a query for a rowsource, you shouldn't need to REQUERY() it unless you have added/changed records in the underlying source.