How to select an item in combobox

Question

I have a combo box with a list of book conditions. When a book is loaded into the form, the condition the book has needs to be selected. How can I do this? Here's what i have:

Excellent
Very Good
Good
Fair
Poor

just for example, how would i select "Good" WITHOUT USING THE INDEX? The database knows the condition text, and condition id. I need to select the condition in the combo box with either. However, I don't know how to add the condition id to the items in the combo box. How would I do this in Visual Basic 2008?

**EDIT**

I forgot to mention, although i am using a database, i am NOT using SQL Server. I just need a way to select it with a variable containing either the id or condition.

Answer 1

One of many ways:

ComboBox1.SelectedIndex = ComboBox1.Items.IndexOf("Excellent")

---

http://blogs.windowsclient.net/joes

Answer 2

I should have alse mentioned that if you have duplicates, this will select the first one. If you have a data source, it might be better to data bind the combo. It should look something like this, forgive me if this is off a bit, it's been awhile:

Combobox1.DataSource = Table
ComboBox1.DisplayMember = Condition
ComboBox1.SelectedValue = ConditionId

---

http://blogs.windowsclient.net/joes

Answer 3

Can this work with a MySql connection and reader? Thats why I said I needed to use it with a variable.

Answer 4

I'm sure I've tried this. I think it returned -1. I'll try again to be sure.

Answer 5

Nope, I tried this. It just returns -1.

Answer 6

Please post your code that you tried. Thanks.

---

http://blogs.windowsclient.net/joes

Answer 7

Okay, I think i may have the data source right. its a dataview object correct? But how do i get the condition and condition id values?

Answer 8

Just the class that uses this, or ALL the classes used by the classes that use this too? It would be alot to post.

Answer 9

Please post the code where the index is returning -1, along with any relevant info on the code or anything you may think would help aid in troubleshooting.

---

http://blogs.windowsclient.net/joes

Answer 10

IndexOf returns the index of bound object not of display text I think. If you want to select the item based on its text, then cant you simply do?

 ComboBox1.Text = "Excellant"

where item is selected based on its display value, if does not exist, combo remains with the previous value.

---

Arjun Paudel

Answer 11

IndexOf would return the index of the string if the combo was not bound, and the type was string. If he passes the bound object, he would get the index. I think what is happening is that he is binding the object and then trying to get the IndexOf passing a string which will return -1. Again, this is an assumption until he can post more code.

---

http://blogs.windowsclient.net/joes