Ah, ok, I think I get you now.

What you want to do is to click the button once, and add the "item second", then when you click the same button again?!?, you want to add the "item three".

If that is what you are trying to do, then I think you might want to re-think the execution of the code, as this does not seem very intuitive.

However, in order to get what you are asking for, the following code should work:

Code:
    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        Dim adi As New ListViewItem("") ' will add to column(0)
        adi.SubItems.Add("second") 'will add to column(1)
        adi.SubItems.Add("") 'will add to column(2)
        ListView1.Items.Add(adi)
        ListView1.View = View.Details
    End Sub


    Private Sub Button2_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button2.Click
        ListView1.FocusedItem.SubItems(2).Text = "three"
    End Sub
In order for the code in the second button to work, you need to first select the row that you want to update.

That make sense?

Gary