I have a very weird requirement, wherein I am required to have no option selected by default in drop down menu in HTML. However,
I cannot use this,
<select>
<option></option>
<option>Option 1</option>
<option>Option 2</option>
<option>Option 3</option>
</select>
Because, for this I will have to do validation to handle the first option. Can anyone help me in achieving this target without actually including the first option as part of the select tag?
Maybe this will be helpful
<select>
<option disabled selected value> -- select an option -- </option>
<option>Option 1</option>
<option>Option 2</option>
<option>Option 3</option>
</select>
-- select an option -- Will be displayed by default. But if you choose an option, you will not be able to select it back.
You can also hide it using by adding an empty option
<option style="display:none">
so it won't show up in the list anymore.
Option 2
If you don't want to write CSS and expect the same behaviour of the solution above, just use:
<option hidden disabled selected value> -- select an option -- </option>
You could use Javascript to achieve this. Try the following code:
HTML
<select id="myDropdown">
<option>Option 1</option>
<option>Option 2</option>
<option>Option 3</option>
</select>
JS
document.getElementById("myDropdown").selectedIndex = -1;
or JQuery
$("#myDropdown").prop("selectedIndex", -1);
Today (2015-02-25)
This is valid HTML5 and sends a blank (not a space) to the server:
<option label=" "></option>
Verified validity on http://validator.w3.org/check
Verified behavior with Win7(IE11 IE10 IE9 IE8 FF35 Safari5.1) Ubuntu14.10(Chrome40, FF35) OSX_Yosemite(Safari8, Chrome40) Android(Samsung-Galaxy-S5)
The following also passes validation today, but passes some sort of space character to the server from most browsers (probably not desirable) and a blank on others (Chrome40/Linux passes a blank):
<option> </option>
Previously (2013-08-02)
According to my notes, the non-breaking-space entity inside the option tags shown above produced the following error in 2013:
Error: W3C Markup Validaton Service (Public): The first child option
element of a select element with a required attribute and without a
multiple attribute, and whose size is 1, must have either an empty
value attribute, or must have no text content.
At that time, a regular space was valid XHTML4 and sent a blank (not a space) to the server from every browser:
<option> </option>
Future
It would make my heart glad if the spec was updated to explicitly allow a blank option. Preferably using the briefest syntax. Either of the following would be great:
<option />
<option></option>
Test File
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />
<title>Test</title>
</head>
<body>
<form action="index.html" method="post">
<select name="sel">
<option label=" "></option>
</select>
</form>
</body>
</html>
<td><b>Field Label:</b><br>
<select style='align:left; width:100%;' id='some_id' name='some_name'>
<option hidden selected>Select one...</option>
<option value='Value1'>OptLabel1</option>
<option value='Value2'>OptLabel2</option>
<option value='Value3'>OptLabel3</option></select>
</td>
Just put "hidden" on option you want to hide on dropdown list.
Solution that works by only using CSS:
A: Inline CSS
<select>
<option style="display:none;"></option>
<option>Option 1</option>
<option>Option 2</option>
<option>Option 3</option>
</select>
B: CSS Style Sheet
If you have a CSS file at hand, you can target the first option using:
select.first-opt-hidden option:first-of-type {
display:none;
}
<select class="first-opt-hidden">
<option></option>
<option>Option 1</option>
<option>Option 2</option>
<option>Option 3</option>
</select>
This should help:
https://www.w3schools.com/tags/att_select_required.asp
<form>
<select required>
<option value="">None</option>
<option value="volvo">Volvo</option>
<option value="saab">Saab</option>
<option value="mercedes">Mercedes</option>
<option value="audi">Audi</option>
</select>
<button type="submit">Submit</button>
</form>
Just a small remark:
some Safari browsers do not seem to respect neither the "hidden" attribute nor the style setting "display:none" (tested with Safari 12.1 under MacOS 10.12.6). Without an explicit placeholder text, these browsers simply show an empty first line in the list of options. It may therefore be useful to always provide some explanatory text for this "dummy" entry:
<option hidden disabled selected value>(select an option)</option>
Thanks to the "disabled" attribute, it won't be actively selected anyway.
<select required>
<option value="" disabled selected>None</option>
<option value="volvo">Volvo</option>
<option value="saab">Saab</option>
<option value="mercedes">Mercedes</option>
<option value="audi">Audi</option>
</select>
You can avoid custom validation in this case.
I understand what you are trying to do.The best and the most successful way is :
<select name='department' required>
<option value="">None</option>
<option value="Teaching">Teaching department</option>
<option value="nonTeaching">Non-teaching department</option>
</select>
I found it really interesting because I just experienced the same thing not so long time ago.
However, I came across to an example on the Internet about the solution regarding this.
Without any further ado, see the code fragment below:
<select>
<option value data-isdefault="true">--Choose one Option--</option>
<option>Option 1</option>
<option>Option 2</option>
<option>Option 3</option>
</select>
With that, it will stay un-submittable but selectable, anytime. More convenience for User Interface and great for User Experience.
Well that's all, I hope it helps. Cheers!
There is no HTML solution. By the HTML 4.01 spec, browser behavior is undefined if none of the option elements has the selected attribute, and what browsers do in practice is that they make the first option pre-selected.
As a workaround, you could replace the select element by a set of input type=radio elements (with the same name attribute). This creates a control of the same kind though with different appearance and user interface. If none of the input type=radio elements has the checked attribute, none of them is initially selected in most modern browsers.
I'm using Laravel 5 framework and #Gambi `s answer worked for me as well but with some changes for my project.
I have the option values in a database table and I use them with a foreach statement. But before the statement I have added an option with #Gambit suggested settings and it worked.
Here my exemple:
#isset($keys)
<select>
<option disabled selected value></option>
#foreach($keys as $key)
<option>{{$key->value)</option>
#endforeach
</select>
#endisset
I hope this helps someone as well. Keep up the good work!
Try this:
<h2>Favorite color</h2>
<select name="color">
<option value=""></option>
<option>Pink</option>
<option>Red</option>
<option>Blue</option>
</select>
The first option in the drop down would be blank.
In order to show please select a value in drop down and hide it after some value is selected . please use the below code.
it will also support required validation.
<select class="form-control" required>
<option disabled selected value style="display:none;">--Please select a value</option>
<option >Data 1</option>
<option >Data 2</option>
<option >Data 3</option>
</select>
If you are using Angular (2+), (or any other framework), you could add some logic. The logic would be: only display an empty option if the user did not select any other yet.
So after the user selected an option, the empty option disappears.
For Angular (9) this would look something like this:
<select>
<option *ngIf="(hasOptionSelected$ | async) === false"></option>
<option *ngFor="let option of (options$ | async)[value]="option.id">{{ option.title }}</option>
</select>
For those who are using <select multiple> (combobox; no dropdown), this worked for me:
<select size=1 disabled multiple>
<option hidden selected></option>
<option>My Option</option>
</select>
If you don't need any empty option at first, try this first line:
<option style="display:none"></option>
just use "..option hidden selected.." as default option
I guess a good idea would be to use the radio buttons, set #1 as default and hide it, give it for example a
name="init" and a value="null" or whatever, up to you!
this way the radio buttons list has a value definitely, but default of null can be used logically!
I think it's not necessary to elaborate further, since the idea can easily be implemented with display: none; or visibility: hidden;
... whereas I think the first one display: none; is the better option:
In react, you can give a dummy value (say -1) with select tag as below and same value can be used with this disabled option of yours. (WORKED FOR ME)
const nonEmpty = selected[identifierField] || false;
<select
onChange={(e) => {
onSelect(
options.find((option) => option[identifierField] === e.target.value)
);
}}
value={nonEmpty || -1}
>
<option disabled value={-1}>Select Option</option>
{options.map((option) => (
<option key={option[identifierField]} value={option[identifierField]}>
{option[displayField]}
</option>
))}
</select>
option style="display:none"
Is bad solution for Tablet: iPad Pro / iOS 15 / Safari
An unnecessary row in the dropdown appears, only for real devices. Doesn`t reproduce on the emulator.
Try this:
<select>
<option value="">
<option>Option 1
<option>Option 2
<option>Option 3
</select>
Validates in HTML5. Works with required attribute in select element. Can be re-selected. Works in Google Chrome 45, Internet Explorer 11, Edge, Firefox 41.
Demo here
HTML:
display:none <b>not works</b>,the hidden can <b>not select</b>.<br>
<select size="5">
<option value="A">A</option>
<option value="B">B</option>
<option value="C">C</option>
<option value="D">D</option>
<option value="E">E</option>
<option value="F">F</option>
<option value="G">G</option>
<option value="H">H</option>
<option value="I">I</option>
</select><br>
display:none <b>works</b>,the hidden <b>can select</b>.<br>
<select>
<option value="A">A</option>
<option value="B">B</option>
<option value="C">C</option>
<option value="D">D</option>
<option value="E">E</option>
<option value="F">F</option>
<option value="G">G</option>
<option value="H">H</option>
<option value="I">I</option>
</select>
CSS:
select{width:50px;}
[value=C]{
display: none;
}
/* will hold the position */
[value=B]{
visibility: hidden;
}
The size attribute will affect the display and visibility, what happen to this ?
How can I hide the option in select which has a size attribute ?
See updated section
I think you can not do that only with CSS for all browsers you'll need some JS code, there is a previous question quite similar:
How to hide a <option> in a <select> menu with CSS?
In Chrome (v. 30) "display:none" doesn't work, however in Firefox (v. 24) It works, the option with "display:none" doesn't appear in the list.
UPDATE2:
In the current Chrome (v. 70) an Firefox (v. 63) versions, the use of css with "display:none" along with attribute "disabled" in the option tag removes the option from the list and it doesn't appear any more.
<html><body>
<select>
<option disabled style="display:none">Hola</option>
<option>Hello</option>
<option>Ciao</option>
</select>
</body></html>
Thanks to #achecopar for the help
The property Display:none wont work on the options tag
so you have only two options as work around
1. Either disable then with disabled="disabled".
2. Remove the options you don't want to see and insert them again when needed.
you may be able to find some other work around too, but i don't think it will be consistent in all the browsers
There is a technique for hiding options within a select in this post: How to hide a <option> in a <select> menu with CSS?
Use following jQuery to hide and show under select
jQuery(selector).toggleOption(true); // show option
jQuery(selector).toggleOption(false); // hide option
is you need this...
<select>
<option value="A">A</option>
<option disabled value="B">B</option>
<option value="C">C</option>
<option disabled value="D">D</option>
<option value="E">E</option>
<option value="F">F</option>
<option value="G">G</option>
<option value="H">H</option>
<option value="I">I</option>
</select>
the disable value are not select-able.
if you want to hide go here..
http://jsbin.com/anoci
how to disable the <option> in select menu? I can handle this situation in browser but I cant in iPhone. Except approved option I disabled all. Here I attached the screenshot. Can any one tell me how fix this? thanks in advance .
This is a known issue in Safari for iOS. You can do 2 things:
Remove the options you don't want to be visible from the list
Tell the user that he made an invalid selection when he tries to commit the form
No other options here...
There are some standard options, if you try then this type of issue will resolved.
Try to use group options this will work with all devices and web browsers.
Tested with Android and iPhone4 and iPhone4s
<optgroup label='field name 1'>
<option value='1'>Name 1</option>
<option value='2'>Name 2</option>
<option value='3'>Name 3</option>
</optgroup>
<optgroup label='field name 2'>
<option value='1'>Name 1</option>
<option value='2'>Name 2</option>
<option value='3'>Name 3</option>
</optgroup>
I have a form with a select list of various office locations, i have it set so it should have the office initially selected BUT it does not seem to Work in IE!!! (no surprise)
here is what i am using to preselect:
<option selected value="Office 1">Office 1</option>
here is the site: http://www.nwtaxpreparation.com/offices/122andpowell.html
let me know if you have any solutions!
HTML 4 uses:
<option value="foo" selected>Bar</option>
XHTML REQUIRES:
<option value="foo" selected="selected">Bar</option>
To say that "there is no such thing as selected="whatever" is false!
I recently had the same problem with selected options tags. I had a series of select boxes like this:
<select>
<option value="dr">Day rate</option>
<option selected="selected" value="sv">Social value</option>
</select>
<select>
<option value="dr">Day rate</option>
<option selected="selected" value="sv">Social value</option>
</select>
I couldn't work out why the correct items wouldn't select. I later discovered that it was because there was no name attribute on the select item. Firefox seems to need this to work properly, even in version 15.
<select name="type">
<option value="dr">Day rate</option>
<option selected="selected" value="sv">Social value</option>
</select>
I changed it to the above and selected="selected" works fine now.
Is there any way to have a drop-down list in which non of the items are selectable? So basically, I'm just looking to use it as a way of showing/hiding a list. I don't want any hover highlighting and I don't want to be able to change the selected item.
Could you suggest if this is possible, or if anyone has any other ideas to achieve something similar, could you point me to a good example.
Thanks
The optgroup tag comes to mind. It has a disabled attribute.
<select>
<optgroup label="My List" disabled>
<option value="item1">Item 1</option>
<option value="item2">Item 2</option>
</optgroup>
</select>
However, IE 6 and 7 don't respect the disabled. Arrgh. Neither do they listen to the readonly attribute slapped on the whole select.
You will have to add a onchange="this.value ='item1';" fallback for those browsers, which obviously isn't watertight if JavaScript is turned off.
JSFiddle here
Is there any way to have a drop-down list in which non of the items are selectable?
I have same requirement So I did like this,
<select >
<option value="item1" disabled>Item 1</option>
<option value="item2" disabled>Item 2</option>
<option value="item3" disabled>Item 3</option>
<option value="item4" disabled>Item 4</option>
</select>
On JsFiddle