Text Inconsistencies in ActiveX Combo boxes

**jrdnoland** · 01-16-2010, 11:27 AM

I'm building an application that uses a large number of activex combo boxes. These boxes are getting loaded from specific fields in an associated database.

I know ActiveX combo boxes can be buggy; I'm wondering if anyone has found a way around the text appearance inconsistencies seen in these controls? e.g., sometimes the text is smaller, sometimes it's spaced wider, sometimes it appears at the top of the combo box sometimes in the center.

I put a screen shot of what I'm talking about in a word doc along with a control properties screen shot, All controls have the same properties except for the text property.

**Leith Ross** · 01-16-2010, 06:24 PM

Hello jrdnoland,

Could you be more general in your description? You have provided no information that can be used to access your problem. A screen shot of the properties page???? Rather than go through a litany of questions, you should just post your workbook for review.

**jrdnoland** · 01-16-2010, 07:46 PM

I think if you've had this problem before you'd know what I'm talking about. I put together an example workbook, saved it as an 03 version, and stripped out a lot of the code.

When the workbook opens, select a number from the combo box (Number of Revisions) to basically unhide the rows. You will see what I'm talking about when you look at the text in the visible combo boxes. These will be loaded from fields in a database, but the result is basically the same.

Thanks for looking.

**Leith Ross** · 01-17-2010, 03:00 AM

Hello jrdnoland,

The problem was your controls were overlapping cell boundaries. I resized the controls to fit within the cells. Problem solved. See the attached workbook.

**jrdnoland** · 01-17-2010, 08:50 AM

I originally put them in holding the alt key while inserting the control, so I thought they were sized to fit the cell exactly.

It appears that if you make the columns or rows a different size then the combo box and its text will change to fit (position 1). I guess the key to getting all the text to appear consistent (Once it fits the cell(s) perfectly) is to make the combo box (and associated cells) the size you will need them to be.

Leith, thank you for taking the time to look at this!

**Leith Ross** · 01-17-2010, 02:36 PM

Hello jrdnoland,

You're right about the text size changing as the rows and column change. This is because the text boxes are set to move and size with the cells. Consequently, the text boxes are hidden when the rows/columns are hidden and shown again when the rows/columns are unhidden.

Setting the text boxes to move and not resize with the cells will keep the the text the same size. However, it falls to you to hide and show the text boxes based on the rows/columns selected. Because the ActiveX controls are dependent on the worksheet cells for their placement, the controls should be unhidden after the rows/columns are restored to ensure they are redrawn in the correct position and the correct size.