index > Windows Forms General > Setting Combobox default item at Design time

Setting Combobox default item at Design time

Hello,

I added a combobox to my forms app, and set the Dropdown style as "DropDownList", so the user can't do anything but select a different item.

I know I can set a default item within the form constructor with the SelectedIndex, SelectedItem, etc properties. But I rather set the default to an item with "Select One" at design time, then I don't need to add a line of code every time I insert a ComboBox. So, any sugestion?

I tried using the Text property but it gets erased when I press enter after entering my "default text".

Thanks,

John

PS: My comboboxes aren't bound to anything their own collections.

milasch Tuesday, February 03, 2009 8:08 PM

Set the Text property to the text of the item you want to pre-select.

Hans Passant.

Marked As Answer byKira QianMSFT, ModeratorTuesday, February 10, 2009 6:59 AM

nobugz Wednesday, February 04, 2009 2:35 AM

Use this property. (Searced withthe Object Browser Window....)

publicoverrideintSelectedIndex{set;get;} 

MemberofSystem.Windows.Forms.ComboBox 

Summary: 

Getsorsetstheindexspecifyingthecurrentlyselecteditem. 

Returns: 

Azero-basedindexofthecurrentlyselecteditem. 

Avalueofnegativeone(-1)isreturnedifnoitemisselected.

Add that to a control that inherits from ComboBox, then use that custom control instead.

Mark the best replies as answers. "Fooling computers since 1971."

Edited byRudedog2 Tuesday, February 03, 2009 8:30 PMdfadf

Rudedog2 Tuesday, February 03, 2009 8:29 PM

Set the Text property to the text of the item you want to pre-select.

Hans Passant.

Marked As Answer byKira QianMSFT, ModeratorTuesday, February 10, 2009 6:59 AM

nobugz Wednesday, February 04, 2009 2:35 AM

Hi milasch,

Yes, you are right, the Text property cannot be set after your set the DropDownStyle to DropDownList. Also there is no property you can set in property window. If you really want to do so, you need to create a custom ComboBox inherited from the system one and make a property called "DefaultIndex". That won't as easy as set its SelectedIndex in the code.

Hint: ComboBox always select the first item when it is bound to a list datasource.

Sincerely,
Kira Qian

Please mark the replies as answers if they help and unmark if they don't.

Kira Qian Thursday, February 05, 2009 3:48 AM

Nah, Text works fine. Try it.

Hans Passant.

nobugz Thursday, February 05, 2009 11:06 AM

There is a slight issue though, in the VS 2008 that we have.

If we try to set the Text property then it is not taken.

In this case, we will have to set SelectedIndex in the InitializeComponent to whichever index we want. Then, the value is correctly reflected in the Text property, as also in the Form design.

vsha Thursday, September 17, 2009 3:57 PM

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