Binaryworld - ListBoxFindString - Search an item in a ListBox or ComboBox control ... [ VB -> Forms & Controls ]

Private Declare Function SendMessage Lib "user32" Alias "SendMessageA" (ByVal _
  hWnd As Long, ByVal wMsg As Long, ByVal wParam As Long, _
  lParam As Any) As Long

Const LB_FINDSTRING = &H18F
Const LB_FINDSTRINGEXACT = &H1A2
Const CB_FINDSTRING = &H14C
Const CB_FINDSTRINGEXACT = &H158

' Find a string in a ListBox or ComboBox control
' Returns the index of the match, or -1 if not found.
'
' The third argument is the index *after* which to start the search (first item
' if omitted).
' If the fourth argument is True it searches for an exact match.

Function ListBoxFindString(ctrl As Control, ByVal search As String, _
  Optional startIndex As Long = -1, Optional ExactMatch As Boolean) As Long
  Dim uMsg As Long
  If TypeOf ctrl Is ListBox Then
    uMsg = IIf(ExactMatch, LB_FINDSTRINGEXACT, LB_FINDSTRING)
  ElseIf TypeOf ctrl Is ComboBox Then
    uMsg = IIf(ExactMatch, CB_FINDSTRINGEXACT, CB_FINDSTRING)
  Else
    Exit Function
  End If
  ListBoxFindString = SendMessage(ctrl.hWnd, uMsg, startIndex, ByVal search)
End Function