Hi Josh,

Besides an option mentioned by Tsvetelina, you may initialize selection on server using initial value in field or Selected item in SelectListItem collection. Below are examples:

View aspx file:

<%= Html.Infragistics().Combo("Combo1").DataSource(Model.GetMyStringData()).Render() %>
<%= Html.Infragistics().ComboFor(m => Model.Combo2, Model.ListItems).Render()%>
<%= Html.Infragistics().Combo(Model.Combo9Model) %>

Model cs file:

 public class MyComboModel
 {
  private string _combo1 = "DJO4";
  public string Combo1 { get { return this._combo1; } set { this._combo1 = value; } }

  public string[] Combo2 { get; set; }

  private ComboModel _combo3;
  public ComboModel Combo3
  {
   get
   {
    if (this._combo3 == null)
    {
     this._combo3 = new ComboModel();
     this._combo3.DataSource = new string[] { "Item1", "Item2", "Item3" };
     this._combo3.SelectedValues = new string[] {"Item2"};
    }
    return this._combo3;
   }
  }
  public List<SelectListItem> ListItems
  {
   get
   {
    List<SelectListItem> items = new List<SelectListItem>();
    items.Add(new SelectListItem { Text = "Swimming", Value = "1" });
    items.Add(new SelectListItem { Text = "Cycling", Value = "2", Selected = true });
    items.Add(new SelectListItem { Text = "Running", Value = "3" });
    return items;
   }
  }
 }

I was having a similar problem with initial values in the combo.  For me, the problem was that the javascript to initialize the combo was running after I set the value.  The MVC helpers inject script at the point in the page where the combo is placed.  If your javascript sets the value is at the top of the page, it will get stepped on.  One solution is to attach to the "dataBound" event.  When infragistics is done loading the combo, it will execute your callback, and you can set the initial value.

I was not able to set the initial value using the  "ComboModel" object.  I had to do it in javascript.

Hello JoshNoe,

I tried to reproduce the issue with the online sample below but I was able to see the items selected

http://samples.infragistics.local/jquery/combo-box/editing

[ActionName("editing")]
        public ActionResult ComboSelection()
        {
            ComboModel comboViewModel = new ComboModel();
            comboViewModel.ID = "comboTargetDiv";
            comboViewModel.TextKey = "Name";
            comboViewModel.ValueKey = "ProductID";
            comboViewModel.Width = "200px";
            comboViewModel.Mode = ComboMode.Editable;
            comboViewModel.AllowCustomValue = false;
            comboViewModel.ShowDropDownButton = true;
            comboViewModel.EnableClearButton = true;
            comboViewModel.DataSource = this.DataRepository.GetDataContext().Products;       
            comboViewModel.SelectedValues = new List<string>() { "1", "2" };
            comboViewModel.MultiSelection = ComboMultiSelection.On;
            return View("ComboEditing", comboViewModel);
        }

Can you provide us with an isolated sample reproducing the issue ?
Hope hearing from you.