you asked: to what extent do I need to use it?

I have a collection of about 400 small ".html" files. I want to provide the user an input box and as they type, a window will open that begins listing the possible files based on the user's input . . .

so, let's say 20 files in the total list of files
user types "abc"
at first character, all first-letter "a" files are visible in the list box, then "auto-scrolls" down to the "ab" files and finally the "abc" file becomes visible.

user then clicks that entry and the "abc.html" file opens. pretty simple and straightforward in the coding, I feel sure.

But I want a list with a scroll bar, so that if the file requested is not available, user can scroll and find similar items.

many "date of birth" input boxes work this way . . . as one types numbers the highlighter moves to the corresponding number . . . "1" highlights the number "1" in the list, then type "2", "12" becomes highlighted, then type "3", "123" becomes highlighted.

In reality it is for a document index. All the index terms will be accessible through a link in the dropdown list.

I'm working through a good javascript tutorial now and beginning to pick up the simple tools necessary, but if you could point me to some code snippets or sites that use a simple device of this sort, I'd appreciate it. It may be that I'm going to need to link to a database. But not quite sure about that.

What if my index has 700 terms?

In any case, I thank you for your time and information.

Very kind of you to reply.

West Midlands? that in England? I'm sitting down here in France, without too many "English language" programming books available. Gotta get it all from the internet . . .

Cordially,

R. Mullin