ComboBox.RowSource property (Access)

Use the RowSource property (along with the RowSourceType property) to tell Microsoft Access how to provide data to the specified object. Read/write String.

Syntax

expression.RowSource

expression A variable that represents a ComboBox object.

Remarks

For example, to display rows of data in a list box from a query named CustomerList, set the list box's RowSourceType property to Table/Query and its RowSource property to the query named CustomerList.

The RowSource property setting depends on the RowSourceType property setting.

For this RowSourceType setting	Enter this RowSource setting
Table/Query	A table name, query name, or SQL statement.
Value List	A list of items with semicolons (;) as separators.
Field List	A table name, query name, or SQL statement.

If the RowSourceType property is set to a user-defined function, the RowSource property can be left blank.

For table fields, you can set these properties on the Lookup tab in the Field Properties section of table Design view for fields with the DisplayControl property set to Combo Box or List Box. Microsoft Access sets these properties automatically when you select Lookup Wizard as the data type for a field in table Design view.

In Visual Basic, set the RowSourceType property by using a string expression with one of these values: "Table/Query", "Value List", or "Field List". You also use a string expression to set the value of the RowSource property. To set the RowSourceType property to a user-defined function, enter the name of the function.

When you have a limited number of values that don't change, you can set the RowSourceType property to Value List and then enter the values that make up the list in the RowSource property.

Example

The following example sets the RowSourceType property for a combo box to Table/Query, and it sets the RowSource property to a query named EmployeeList.

Forms!Employees!cmboNames.RowSourceType = "Table/Query" 
Forms!Employees!cmboNames.RowSource = "EmployeeList"

The following example shows how to set the RowSource property of a combo box when a form is loaded. When the form is displayed, the items stored in the Departments field of the tblDepartment combo box are displayed in the cboDept combo box.

Private Sub Form_Load()
    Me.Caption = "Today is " & Format$(Date, "dddd mmm-d-yyyy")
    Me.RecordSource = "tblDepartments"
    DoCmd.Maximize  
    txtDept.ControlSource = "Department"
    cmdClose.Caption = "&Close"
    cboDept.RowSourceType = "Table/Query"
    cboDept.RowSource = "SELECT Department FROM tblDepartments"
End Sub

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