Well, it looks like I confused things here, sorry.
When I said the search screen should be the first/main screen, I was just looking at the diagram.
Normally in a database application, you drill down into data.
You should try to follow a linear path, but the last three boxes in the diagram are circular.
You are only making this change because searching for projects on the project screen is slow.
You have created a new search screen that is quicker but you don't know how to plug it into your other screens.
1) I researched the ways to allow a search in string with a combo, and it's not directly possible.
It takes a workaround and with that info being tied to another system, the refresh is too slow.
2) That made me move instead towards putting a button in the header, for "find system projects".
This opens a pop-up form, for the user to type in a text box.
A listbox has all projects and will filter based on what they type in the text box.
This seems like a much more effective way to allow a use verify which projects are in the system currently,
while allowing the user to search any part of the project name or project number.
Statement 2 contradicts statement 1.
A combo isn't that different from a list. If you can filter a list, you can filter a combo.
Why is refreshing the list box faster than refreshing a combo box?
Find out why it is slow.
Perhaps, there is an event in the main form that fires when the project combo changes?
Disconnect it and put that code into your button so that it doesn't fire automatically.
If you want to use your new search form anyway, it could just be a modal pop-up that sets the project on the main form.
Which is probably what Pat Hartman was saying back in post 5.