Home Articles FAQs XREF Games Software Instant Books BBS About FOLDOC RFCs Feedback Sitemap
irt.Org
#

Q1694 How can I change a selected item in one select box based on a choice from another select box without using frames?

You are here: irt.org | FAQ | JavaScript | Form | Q1694 [ previous next ]

It's been known for some time that you could affect the items in one select box from the choice selected in another select box by using frames. This seemed messy and a lot of extra work to me, so I came up with this method to do it client-side without the need for hidden frames or additional server requests. I have not verified it on all browser versions, but it does work on IE5 and NS4.7

<script language="JavaScript"><!--
function UpdateList(object) {
  // Remove all existing items from select2 list
  object.select2.options.length = 0;

  var defaultSelected = false;
  var selected = false;

  // add items based on the selected option of select1
  if (object.select1.options[object.select1.selectedIndex].value == "default") {
    var optionName = new Option("Default", "default", defaultSelected, selected);
    var length = object.select2.length;
    object.select2.options[length] = optionName;
  }

  if (object.select1.options[object.select1.selectedIndex].value == "FirstOption") {
    var optionName = new Option("ItemOneText", "ItemOneValue", defaultSelected, selected);
    var length = object.select2.length;
    object.select2.options[length] = optionName;

    var optionName = new Option("ItemTwoText", "ItemTwoValue", defaultSelected, selected);
    var length = object.select2.length;
    object.select2.options[length] = optionName;
  }

  if (object.select1.options[object.select1.selectedIndex].value == "SecondOption") {
    var optionName = new Option("FirstItemText", "FirstItemValue", defaultSelected, selected);
    var length = object.select2.length;
    object.select2.options[length] = optionName;

    var optionName = new Option("SecondItemText", "SecondItemValue", defaultSelected, selected);
    var length = object.select2.length;
    object.select2.options[length] = optionName;
  }

  // Do the next line to make sure the top item is selected
  object.select2.options[0].selected = true;
}
//--></script>

<form name="formname">
<select name="select1" size="1" onChange="UpdateList(document.formname);">
  <option value="default">Default</option>
  <option value="FirstOption">First Option</option>
  <option value="SecondOption">Second Option</option>
</select>

<select name="select2" size="1">
  <option value="default">default</option>
</select>
</form>

Submitted by Shawn Clabough

Feedback on 'Q1694 How can I change a selected item in one select box based on a choice from another select box without using frames?'

©2018 Martin Webb

Home Articles FAQs XREF Games Software Instant Books BBS About FOLDOC RFCs Feedback Sitemap