Abstract: A computer system for persistently storing information entered by a user into an edit control of a property page. In a preferred embodiment, the computer system has a registry for storage of information identified by a key. An application program has a resource file that contains a definition of controls for the property page. The controls include the edit control designated as editable by the user and a buddy control that is adjacent to the edit control, that is designated as not visible, and that has text which specifies a key within the registry. The computer system displays the property page by detecting that the buddy control is adjacent to the edit control and is designated as not visible, by retrieving the text for the buddy control, by retrieving information from the registry using the key specified by the retrieved text, and by initializing the edit control to the retrieved information.