Selecting the First Item in a ComboBox or ListBox on a Microsoft Access Form

by FMS Development Team

Sample database: SelectFirstItemInList.zip (36 KB)

The Problem

Combo boxes and list boxes are a great way to control user experience by limiting the values that a user can choose to a known list.

When working with ComboBoxes and ListBoxes, we often find the need to select the first item in the list by default. This can be done when the form loads, or with the contents of the ListBox or ComboBox are changed based on another selection (see our tip on Cascading ComboBoxes/ListBoxes).

The Solution

To select the first item, we use the following syntax to set the value of the control:

  Me.ControlName = Me.ControlName.ItemData(0)

Our example database contains a form with a ComboBox containing ProductCategoties, and a ListBox containing Products.

When we load the form, we want to select the first Category in the list.

Private Sub Form_Load()
  ' When the form loads, select the first item in the Category ComboBox
  Me.cboCategoryName = Me.cboCategoryName.ItemData(0)

  ' Call the code that updates the Products ListBox based on the selected category
  cboCategoryName_AfterUpdate

End Sub

When we change the Category, we want to update the Products list, and select the first Product in the list:

Private Sub cboCategoryName_AfterUpdate()
  ' Call the code that updates the Products ListBox based on the selected category
  Me.lstProducts.RowSource = "SELECT ProductName " & _  
    "FROM products " & _
    "WHERE CategoryID = " & Nz(Me.cboCategoryName)

  ' Re-load the list box
  Me.lstProducts.Requery

  ' Select the first Product in the list box
  Me.lstProducts = Me.lstProducts.ItemData(0)

End Sub

After updating the RowSource property, use the list box's Requery method to re-load the data in the ListBox.

RecordSource versus RowSource

There is sometimes confusion between the terms RecordSource and RowSource. Both are properties that can contain a table, query, or SQL string.

• The RecordSource property is a form or report property to populate the data that Microsoft Access displays for that object.
• The RowSource property is at the ComboBox or ListBox control level that tells Microsoft Access what data to display for the control. It is independent of the data specified by the object's RecordSource.

Resources for Microsoft Access Forms, Combo Boxes and Tabs

• Top Five Tips for Using Combo Boxes on Microsoft Access Forms
• Creating Cascading Combo Boxes and List Boxes on Microsoft Access Forms
• Tips and Techniques for Using and Validating Microsoft Access Combo Boxes
• Using Combo Boxes to Auto-Fill City and State from USPS Zip Code Database
• Synchronize Two Related Subforms on a Microsoft Access Form
• Performance Tip: Use Late Binding for Microsoft Access Subforms on Tab Pages
• Reference Tab Pages by its PageIndex Rather than Tab Value on Microsoft Access Forms
• Using the Form Navigation Caption in Microsoft Access 2007, 2010 and 2013
• Microsoft Access Form Design Tips
• Microsoft Access Form Tips and Avoiding Common Mistakes
• Microsoft Access Developer and Programming Help Center