select options property

[Christopher Benson-Manica]

I understand that the options property of a select element is an array
of the options displayed by the select element. If that's so, then
why can't I sort the array? Rather, I *want* to sort the options =
how do I do it?

--
Christopher Benson-Manica | I *should* know what I'm talking about - if I
ataru(at)cyberspace.org | don't, I need to know. Flames welcome.

[Reply Via Newsgroup]

Christopher Benson-Manica wrote:

I understand that the options property of a select element is an array
of the options displayed by the select element. If that's so, then
why can't I sort the array? Rather, I *want* to sort the options =
how do I do it?

I've not sorted anything in js yet but... I'm wondering if you are
sorting by the option value as opposed to the text value... Can you
provide some code, or a url for someone here to look at?

randelld

[Matt Kruse]

"Christopher Benson-Manica" <at***@nospam.cyberspace.org> wrote:

I understand that the options property of a select element is an array
of the options displayed by the select element. If that's so, then
why can't I sort the array? Rather, I *want* to sort the options =
how do I do it?

I have selectbox functions available, and one of them is a sortSelect()
method. It might do what you want, or get you started in the right
direction:
http://www.mattkruse.com/javascript/selectbox/

--
Matt Kruse
Javascript Toolbox: http://www.mattkruse.com/javascript/

[Christopher Benson-Manica]

Matt Kruse <ne********@mattkruse.com> spoke thus:

I have selectbox functions available, and one of them is a sortSelect()
method. It might do what you want, or get you started in the right
direction:
http://www.mattkruse.com/javascript/selectbox/

Is it just me, or was there a newline deficiency when you wrote the
scripts? :) Anyway, from what I can see it looks like you're doing
the same thing I am, which is to use an array to actually sort the
data and then repopulate the select element. What I really wanted to
know is why the options property returns something that can't be
sorted with sort()...

--
Christopher Benson-Manica | I *should* know what I'm talking about - if I
ataru(at)cyberspace.org | don't, I need to know. Flames welcome.

[Matt Kruse]

"Christopher Benson-Manica" <at***@nospam.cyberspace.org> wrote:

Is it just me, or was there a newline deficiency when you wrote the
scripts? :)
Nah, the page is just linked to the 'compact' version of the source. If you
click on the 'Source' link at the top, you can get it in its full commented
form to read and understand. The compact version is for 'production' use
where you might want to reduce file size :)
What I really wanted to
know is why the options property returns something that can't be
sorted with sort()...

Options are very picky, I've found. In most browsers that I've tested, you
can't manipulate or move around the option objects. In fact, caching
Option() objects in scripts and then adding or removing them from lists
causes odd behavior. Based on my testing with multiple browsers, the best
way to manipulate options is to always create a new Option() object and
replace an option or add it to the list. Doing anything else causes very
unpredictable results.

--
Matt Kruse
Javascript Toolbox: http://www.mattkruse.com/javascript/

[Michael Winter]

On Wed, 14 Apr 2004 20:50:43 +0000 (UTC), Christopher Benson-Manica
<at***@nospam.cyberspace.org> wrote:

I understand that the options property of a select element is an array
of the options displayed by the select element. If that's so, then
why can't I sort the array? Rather, I *want* to sort the options =
how do I do it?

HTMLSelectElement.options is not an array, but a collection. Collections
have length properties and they can be subscripted like arrays, but they
do not have the methods and other properties that arrays do.

Mike

--
Michael Winter
M.******@blueyonder.co.invalid (replace ".invalid" with ".uk" to reply)

[Christopher Benson-Manica]

Michael Winter <M.******@blueyonder.co.invalid> spoke thus:

HTMLSelectElement.options is not an array, but a collection. Collections
have length properties and they can be subscripted like arrays, but they
do not have the methods and other properties that arrays do.

Ah, thank you - that's what I was looking for.

--
Christopher Benson-Manica | I *should* know what I'm talking about - if I
ataru(at)cyberspace.org | don't, I need to know. Flames welcome.