combobox items not displaying but are set

Question

I am updating my combobox with items, it works fine the first time I open the form but the second, it is setting the values, but they are not getting displayed.

combo.Items.Clear();
int selectedIndex = -1;
foreach(var item in itemstoadd)
{
    int index = combo.Items.Add(item.Name + " - " + item.Description);
    if (item.Name.Equals(itemToSelect))
    {
        selectedIndex = index;
    }
}
combo.SelectedIndex = selectedIndex;

so after the second time combo.Items has a count of 7 and all values are valid. but then when the method finishes and the form redraws, the Items list has NOT been updated.

I have looked around stackoverflow and cannot find anything that works for me.

it it on the right thread, there is only 1 instance that i can tell. I have tried BeginUpdate() / EndUpdate() Update() Suspend / ResumeLayout

but still nothing will update this items display.

itemtoSelect is passed into this method, and this is called from another combobox event selectedindexchanged, and initially when i setup the display.

I have hit debug points in the code and the items are all being set on the first window opening and the second window opening. I think the only think im not 100% sure is if the combobox is the right combobox, as in if its the older one from the first window opening. I think i can just check this with gethashcode() is there another way to check the reference of an object to confirm if it is the one i think it is?

Answer 1

When you clear Combo.Items it resets the SelectedIndex. Then, when you make the assignment combo.SelectedIndex = selectedIndex; , it generates a new SelectedIndexChanged event, even if you set it to the original value. This can cause problems if you have not completed execution of the first SelectedIndexChanged handler call.

Answer 2

i had an event i had NOT deallocated, that was keeping the original combobox alive and keeping the event that i had breakpointed firing on the old combobox.

once i deallocated this event on closing of the window, then next time i create the window and the combobox it all works great.