You'll need to provide more information.

What OS are you using?

What programming language are you using?

What GUI library are you using?

If you want to keep the item highlighted when the ListBox loses focus you are going to have to create your own control that inherits from the ListBox control and override the OnDrawItem. Below is the OnDrawItem function written in C# 2.0. I posted some code in a zip file on my website at www.ruysfamily.com/stuff/MultiLineListbox.zip. The control also includes code to make ListBox items span multiple lines.

protected override void OnDrawItem(DrawItemEventArgs e)
{
if (Items.Count > 0)
{
//check if listbox has any items
if (e.Index > -1)
{
string s = Items[e.Index].ToString();

//Normal items
if (e.State.ToString() == "NoAccelerator, NoFocusRect")
{
e.Graphics.FillRectangle(new SolidBrush(SystemColors.Window), e.Bounds);
e.Graphics.DrawString(s, Font, new SolidBrush(SystemColors.WindowText),
e.Bounds);
}
else //Selected item, needs highlighting
{
e.Graphics.FillRectangle(new SolidBrush(SystemColors.Highlight),
e.Bounds);
e.Graphics.DrawString(s, Font, new SolidBrush
(SystemColors.HighlightText), e.Bounds);
}
}
}
}


-Nen Narsters
www.ruysfamily.com