I want to have a combo box on my form that allows the user to enter data that
is not an item in the value list, and where the combo box has as its value
list, all the different values in a field. (The purpose being to minimize
entry error, as in misspellings, etc. so that a previously entered value can
be easily reentered with the same spelling, but where new values may still be
entered)

So for example, when the tables are empty, I have an empty combo box, and
you can enter whatever you want (text field). Then when you start to enter
the next record, the value you entered for the first record would appear as
an item in the combo box, but where you may also enter a new value. If the
same value is used on multiple records, it should still only appear once in
the combo box.

Is there any way I can accomplish this? If I need to do some coding, that is
fine. The database will not likely ever get exceedingly large (probably never
more than 1000 records), but I'd prefer not to use a loop with VBA to go
through all the records in generating the value list.

Thanks for any help,
Ray