Number of records in a dropdown combobox

[Rey]

Howdy all.
This may have been covered previously but I've had no success in
retrieving it...
Where may I find what the limitations are of the various controls, i.e.
number of records/items that can be displayed in a dropdown combobox.
In Paradox, this is 2500 items.

If, for instance, a customer table has more than the limitation, I'm
looking at somehow displaying a table containing the alphabet such that
when the user clicks on a letter that the combobox is filled with only
the customer names for the letter selected. Think this would overcome
the combobox limitation unless the number of customers for the letter
max the limitations.

Thank,
Rey

 

[Nicholas Paldino [.NET/C# MVP]]

Rey,

I think that the number of items that are allowed in the combobox is a
factor of memory. I don't remember there being a limit to the number of
items.

However, there is such a thing as a practical limit. 2500 (which I am
sure the combobox can handle), is way too large to be practical in any way.
If anything, you should use some other method to display this choice to the
user (the one that you gave was pretty good actually).

Hope this helps.

 

[Tom Clement]

...
But watch out for internationalization/localization issues when you take
this approach.

Rey,

I think that the number of items that are allowed in the combobox is a
factor of memory. I don't remember there being a limit to the number of
items.

However, there is such a thing as a practical limit. 2500 (which I am
sure the combobox can handle), is way too large to be practical in any way.
If anything, you should use some other method to display this choice to the
user (the one that you gave was pretty good actually).

Hope this helps.


--
- Nicholas Paldino [.NET/C# MVP]
- (e-mail address removed)

Howdy all.
This may have been covered previously but I've had no success in
retrieving it...
Where may I find what the limitations are of the various controls, i.e.
number of records/items that can be displayed in a dropdown combobox.
In Paradox, this is 2500 items.

If, for instance, a customer table has more than the limitation, I'm
looking at somehow displaying a table containing the alphabet such that
when the user clicks on a letter that the combobox is filled with only
the customer names for the letter selected. Think this would overcome
the combobox limitation unless the number of customers for the letter
max the limitations.

Thank,
Rey