reports and combo boxes

a little irritating problem with a report. Report contains a item control that is linked to a combo box control on a form. This combo box is filled with contents from a file and it works as it should. All is well until the report , using an item linked to the combo box. It produces the subscript rather than the contents of the combo box. no matter what i do the report produces the subscript. where am I going wrong? any help much appreciated.

i just need to explain this better: the item control on the form and the report are linked to a file in the analysis, and whilst the form works well, as it should, the report only gives the subscript of the contents of the combo box. the report is filled by a query, but this only accesses data from a single file. that's it