DropDown vs DropDownList

Hi,
I am trying to add a dropdown to my form.
I want this form to have a 'title' incporparted in the control to save space.
When I select DropDown for the DropDownStyle property everything is good because i can set the 'text' property to my title.
The only problem is that at runtime I can 'edit' the dropdown and I don't want this. I want the behaviour to be like a 'DropDownList" but then when I try to set the title in the text property I can seem to set it (Visual Studio removes the title each time).

If you could let me know any trick behind it please ?

Thanks

Are you using VB.NET?

yeap, Mobile Framework 3.5

Does the full framework not behave in the same way when you do this?

yes it does...whether it's windows mobile framework or the full 3.5

Ah - I thought you we chasing functionality that existed in the full framework, but not in the compact framework.

Why not use a normal dropdown. Populate your combo, and then insert the first item in your list to the title you want. Set the listindex to 0 and your title will show. Programatically disallow the selection of the first item in your combo.

Not elegant (or intuitive) but should do what you are asking

I thought about this solution and there are many other alternatives as well but as you said it's not elegant.
I am looking for an elegant solution and don't understand why when the dropdown has a title the user can 'edit' the list...

There must be some way to do this in a professional programmer's way ? I don't want to 'play' with my data in any way

The style you chose allows the user to add items to the list - that is inherent in the design.

You could derive your own and re-design it :)

So are you saying pretty much that I can't do what I want and I have to derive a whole new component to have the functionality I need ??

Looks that way - it appears you can't do what you want in the full framework either.

I can think of very few (if any) instances where there is more functionality in .Net CF components than in their desktop counterparts.

So how can I change my component and adapt it ?
I am looking for a step by step process showing how an existing component has been customized... any component

I can handle the programming, it's just i don't know the 'principles', ie what goes where, what do i have to add to my program....

There is an article here that would give you a start. Also try http://www.codeproject.com/KB/cpp/flatcombo.aspx

Alternately, one of the Resco controls such as advancelist MAY do what you need.