dynamic population of a selectbox with 'none'

timhorn · ‎07-21-2016

I have a catalog item that has 2 dependent selectbox variables. When the first variable (Environment) changes, it should populate the options in the second variable (Application). I have an onChange catalog client script that does this, and it all works fine. When I populate the Application list, first I clear the existing options:

g_form.getControl('Application').options.length = 0;

and then I add a placeholder item as follows:

g_form.addOption('Application', 'NULL', '- Please Select -');

Followed by all the applications for the selected environment. That first entry essentially is a manual way of implementing the "Include none" property, because that property doesn't seem to stay intact when you dynamically build the options list. All of this works fine. The problem I'm having is that the Application variable is mandatory. When I build the options list manually, the "mandatory" asterisk doesn't turn red. It's treating the first option as a selection, so it thinks a selection has been made. I tried several different ways of clearing the selected value, but none of them have worked:

g_form.setValue('Application', '');

g_form.setValue('Application', 'NULL');

g_form.clearValue('Application');

Does anyone know of a way to make it unselect whatever value it thinks it selected?

Vladi1 · ‎07-21-2016

I did something similar (or the same) recently. First select box is "Request Type" and the second is "Service Type". I am using two scripts: onLoad and onChange

0nLoad script hides second select box:

function onLoad() {

//Type appropriate comment here, and begin script below

var category = g_form.getValue('1st select box variable name');

//Clear Request Type

g_form.clearOptions('2nd select box variable name');

g_form.setDisplay('2nd select box variable name', false);

}

onChange defines (on request type variable v_uhds_request_type) behavior of the second variable (and asterisk is red).

function onChange(control, oldValue, newValue, isLoading) {

if (isLoading || newValue == '') {

return;

}

var category = g_form.getValue('1st select box variable name');

g_form.setMandatory('2nd select box variable name', true);

//Clear Request Type

g_form.clearOptions('2nd select box variable name');

g_form.addOption('2nd select box variable name', '', '-- None --', 10);

if (category == 'v_av_equipment')// choice for the 1st select box

{

// display AV Equipment options

g_form.addOption('2nd select box variable name', 'v_projector', 'Projector', 100);

g_form.addOption('2nd select box variable name', 'v_smart_board', 'Smart Board', 200);

g_form.addOption('2nd select box variable name', 'v_speakers', 'Speakers', 300);

g_form.addOption('2nd select box variable name', 'v_television', 'Television', 400);

g_form.addOption('2nd select box variable name', 'v_other', 'Other', 500);

}

else if (category == 'v_cable_tv')//choice for the 1st selecto box

{

//display Cable TV

g_form.addOption('2nd select box variable name', 'v_no_signal', 'No Signal', 100);

g_form.addOption('2nd select box variable name', 'v_quality', 'Quality', 200);

g_form.addOption('2nd select box variable name', 'v_other', 'Other', 300);

}

....and so on for all choices in the 1st SelectBox

I hope this helps

View solution in original post

Chuck Tomasi · ‎07-21-2016

Hi Tim,

You could always try an onSubmit() client script to validate that the Application value is "not null" and throw your own error.

timhorn · ‎07-21-2016

True. That's the direction I've gone in the past. I got complaints about the gray asterisk deceiving people, so I'm trying to find a way to find a way to make it go red.

Chuck Tomasi · ‎07-21-2016

It won't be red if it contains a value. That's the thing. You'd have to use a choice list with --None--, and have that selected to really see it be red.

timhorn · ‎07-21-2016

Exactly. And since I have to build my choice list manually in a script, I have to manually create the "- None -" value, and that means it gets treated like any other option in the list. If you select it, then you've selected something and the asterisk turns gray. I guess I was hoping there would be some magic way of manually defining that "- None -" value so it can truly act as an unselected value. Thanks for the input.