Should be:
thisform.edit1.controlsource="file.cl2"
Compare with
thisform.edit1.value=file.cl2

>I have 1 edit box on a form and I want to change the controlsource to reflect the values held in file.cl1 or file.cl2 or file.cl3 or file.cl4 or file.cl5.
>
>When I use thisform.edit1.controlsource=file.cl2 I get the message 'the datasource for this object must be a variable reference.
>
>How should I do it?
>
>Colin