Detecting default and current value with Select

[Siah]

Hi,

It's a mess. After an hour of hacking the closest I could get to
detecting the current value (Not key, but value) of select statement
that works both in Firefox and IE is :

selectElem.options[selectElem.selectedIndex].firstChild.nodeValue

Which is SICK, but I would be more than happy with it, except @ %$*@
Internet Explorer selectElem.selectedIndex is somehow always 0 (ZERO).
Now, for my purpose, I am desprate enough to accept just getting the
default (initially 'selected') index of my drop down (select). Is there
anyway to do that?

Please help,
Pissed Sia

[Matt Kruse]

Siah wrote:

It's a mess. After an hour of hacking the closest I could get to
detecting the current value (Not key, but value) of select statement
that works both in Firefox and IE is :
selectElem.options[selectElem.selectedIndex].firstChild.nodeValue
Which is SICK
Indeed, when
selectElem.options[selectElem.selectedIndex].text
would have worked just fine.
Internet Explorer selectElem.selectedIndex is somehow always 0 (ZERO).
In a multiple-select, perhaps.
Now, for my purpose, I am desprate enough to accept just getting the
default (initially 'selected') index of my drop down (select). Is
there anyway to do that?

Yes, loop through the options and find the one (or more) with
..defaultSelected==true.

Or, use a pre-written lib which does all this "mess" for you:
http://www.javascripttoolbox.com/lib/validations/

--
Matt Kruse
http://www.JavascriptToolbox.com
http://www.AjaxToolbox.com

[Siah]

Thanks. IE has a bug that makes it not work properly in my ajax app.
Sia