I defined a value list, called "client names" from a text field that is indexed and chose, includes all values. On a layout that displays the same field, from which the value list is defined, as a related field (no portal) I defined the field to display as a drop down list using values from "client names". This field can only be entered in find mode by the way.

I wanted to use the "auto-complete using value list" but the inspector will not allow me to check off this option and the option is not dimmed. I don't understand why. From what I have read using the Help tool this should be possible.

Have I missed something? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Is the "Client Names" field locked on the layout?

It seems like an obvious thing but I know I've forgotten to check it before and it's the only way I could reproduce the behavior you describe.

Do you happen to have the value list set up as 'display values from second field"?

The field on the layout is not locked and the value list is not set up to display values from a second field.

So, will you be posting a file showing the problem? Or are there still 18 questions to go?

Posting the file seemed more trouble then it was worth. It is a hosted file in beta for a large international firm with lots of confidential data, 60+ tables, 100+ relationships using ESS etc. etc. and the change I was trying to make seemed ridiculously simple, so posting the file was not an option. I thought about recreating just the parts involved and that seemed more trouble then it was worth too so I began just trying different things.

What I failed to mention originally is that the field is a calculation. It concatenates two text fields with a text result. Now in my mind this should not have made any difference but it did. When I changed the field on the layout to show data from one of the two concatenated fields it allowed me to check off the "auto-complete using value list". I then changed the field back to the calculated field and now it is working as intended. To me this is a bug until someone explains to me otherwise

Anyway, thank you everyone for looking.

I somehow missed this response. I would like to replicate this 'bug'. Are you still using version 10? That is one version I do not have (and don't want). It would help also if you listed your platform.