PRB: Using Microsoft Forms 2.0 in Internet Explorer

Microsoft Forms 2.0 controls may behave differently depending on the container. For example, a Microsoft Forms combo box in a Microsoft Visual Basic application may appear to work correctly. However, if the combo box is sited on a Visual Basic ActiveX Control, and then the control runs under Internet Explorer, the control does not list any of the elements that are loaded in it using the Add method. You see a combo box of minimum width that does not appear to respond to click events.

The problem is not limited to the combo box. Other controls in the Microsoft Forms package exhibit similar problems under Internet Explorer.

The Forms 2.0 controls were designed for use only with VBA-enabled applications like Microsoft Office. They were not tested for any other environment and are unlikely to work properly. This is by-design.
Because they were not designed or tested to work with applications that do not integrate VBA, Microsoft does not recommend or support using the Forms 2.0 controls in such applications. Integrating VBA into an application is a difficult undertaking and Microsoft does not recommend doing so solely to make use of the Forms 2.0 controls.

Developers must use the HTML fixed controls of Internet Explorer along with client-side scripting for any necessary forms elements in a page. This combination should meet most development needs. In the event an alternative to the html controls is desired, developers may choose to employ custom or third-party ActiveX controls.

This behavior is by design.