# RadComboBox Items Overview

## Properties of RadComboBox Items

The items of **RadComboBox** have a few important properties, which are listed below:

* **Text** - string that the user sees for the item in the drop-down list.

* **ToolTip** - text that appears when the user hovers the mouse over an item in the drop-down list.

> note Setting the tooltip can enable an accessibility feature. Special accessibility readers like JAWS, can pronounce the tooltip of the highlighted item.

* **Value** - unique identifier for the item. It determines the value of RadComboBox' **SelectedValue** property when an item is selected.

* **Selected** - indicates whether the item is selected. Only one item can be selected at a time. If no item is currently selected, then the **Selected** property of all items will be **False**. Setting the **Selected** property of one item to **True** automatically sets the **Selected** property of all other items in RadComboBox to **False**.

* **Enabled** determines whether the user can select the item from the drop-down list.

* **CssClass** - name of a CSS style to be applied to RadComboBox item. The style can be declared in the CSS file of the applied [skin](https://www.telerik.com/products/aspnet-ajax/documentation/controls/combobox/appearance-and-styling/skins).

* **ImageUrl** - image that will be displayed on the left of the item's Text.

* **DisabledImageUrl** - image that will be displayed on the left of the item's Text when the item is disabled.

In addition to the built-in properties, you can add your own [custom attributes](https://www.telerik.com/products/aspnet-ajax/documentation/controls/combobox/radcombobox-items/custom-attributes) to RadComboBox items to expand their functionality.

## Items Definition

There are a number of ways you can control the items that **RadComboBox** holds. You can:

* [Specify the items in-line](https://www.telerik.com/products/aspnet-ajax/documentation/controls/combobox/radcombobox-items/declaring-the-items-in-line) at design time.

* Load the items from an [XML file](https://www.telerik.com/products/aspnet-ajax/documentation/controls/combobox/data-binding/server-side/loading-items-from-xml).

* [Bind RadComboBox](https://www.telerik.com/products/aspnet-ajax/documentation/controls/combobox/data-binding/overview) to a data source.

* Add, remove, and edit the items in RadComboBox in [server-side code](https://www.telerik.com/products/aspnet-ajax/documentation/controls/combobox/radcombobox-items/working-with-items-at-server-side).

* Add, remove, and edit the items in RadComboBox in [client-side code](https://www.telerik.com/products/aspnet-ajax/documentation/controls/combobox/radcombobox-items/working-with-items-in-client-side).

* Let RadComboBox to [load items on demand](https://www.telerik.com/products/aspnet-ajax/documentation/controls/combobox/load-on-demand/overview) to improve performance.