This is a simple way to learn the basics of reading and writing data from text files (or other ASCI files) into or out from your list boxes. The code provided below is made suitable for pasting to a separate modlue so you can resuse it for any list box form any form in your application at all times.

Note
You can invoke this and the next two functions by starting on opening a form use the Private Sub Form_Load()to initiate the loading of the values to your form on start up, or call the function in a separate module by using a command button.

Examples

'load the contents of listitems.txt into lstItems
Call LoadListFromFile(App.Path & "\listitems.txt",lstItems)

'save lstItems to listitems.txt, without clearing it
Call SaveListToFile(App.Path & "\listitems.txt",lstItems)

'save lstItems to listitems.txt, and clear it
Call SaveListToFile(App.Path & "\listitems.txt",lstItems,True)


Put the following code in a module

'Read data to a list.box form an ASCII file
'paste this in a module


Public Function LoadListFromFile(ByRef SourceFile As String, _
     ByRef ToFormList As ListBox) 
On Error GoTo ErrEvt 
Dim TextLine As String, FN As Integer 

ToFormList.Clear 

FN = FreeFile
 Open SourceFile For Input As #FN ' Open file.
   Do While Not EOF(FN) ' Loop until end of file. 
   Line Input #FN, TextLine ' Read line into variable. 
   If TextLine <> LineToRem Then 
	ToFormList.AddItem(TextLine)
   End If 
Loop 
Close #FN ' Close file. 

Exit Function 'this error handler will skip the nasty problem 
'if your text file isnt conformed with an extra linebreak at the end 
'to avoid saying INPUT PAST EOF 
ErrEvt: 
Select Case Err.Number
   Case 51
      Err.Clear ' just bail out from this 
   Case Else ' do nothing
End Select 
Resume Next
End Function 


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'Outputting list boxes to text files
'Call with blnClearList=true to clear the listbox afterwards

Public Function SaveListToFile(ByVal strPrintToFile As String, _
   ByRef lstFormList As ListBox, Optional ByVal blnClearList As Boolean = False) 

Dim I As Long 'longs are quicker than Integers so I normally use those 
Dim FN As Integer 

FN = FreeFile
 'print each line in the list to a new text file

  Open strPrintToFile For Output As #FN

'Add all Items to the opened file
   For I = 0 To lstFormList.ListCount - 1
      Print #FN, lstFormList.List(I)
   Next I

  Close #FN 'thats it... your file is updated 

  'clear the listbox?
  If blnClearList = True Then lstFormList.Clear
End Function 

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