typing a VIN number into a combo box VS selecting a value from list

Lets say I have a combo box control on a form
whose recordsource is a table called tbl_PotentialVINs.
For argument's sake, say the table has 10 records.

A user types a VIN into the control - say its one of those
in the table. Now he doesn't drop the list and select it -
he types in all 17-characters one-at-a-time.

Is there any way to tell he did that in the control's
AfterUpdate event property code? That is, type each
char in rather than select the VIN using the list box
portion of the control?

MLH wrote:
Probably if you put in a routine in the OnKeyDown/Press events and then
verified in the before or after update events.

what's the point though? Are you trying to figure out if the design is
clueless or if you should use AutoExpand and LimitToList?