Populate a combo with an array

[Lukelrc]

Hi,

I have an array - ListOfFiles - that i want use to populate an combo.

I've attempted to do it like this

<select name="txtAvaila ble" rows="4" id="txtAvailabl e">
<Script Language = "vbscript" Runat = "Server">
For i = 0 to Count -1
Response.Write" <OPTION>" & ListOfFiles(i) & "</OPTION>"
next
</script></select>

I placed the vbscript in the approprate place in the body. But when i
open the page instead of writing the HTML where i placed the code, it
has appended it right at the bottom of the page. Does anyone know
where i'm going wrong or if there's a better way of doing this?

Thanks

Luke

[Ray at]

Re: Populate a combo with an array

When things appear on the page where you don't expect them to, this is often
because of some poorly written HTML, not code. Example:

<table border="1">
<tr>
<td>XXX</td>
YYY
</tr>
</table>

The YYY will appear at the top of the page (in IE, anyway), although one may
expect it to appear in the table.

Basically, if you're seeing your select with the options in your array, your
ASP code isn't the problem.

Ray at work

"Lukelrc" <luke.curtis@we stoxon.gov.uk> wrote in message
news:201051d6.0 405190832.1cfda 517@posting.goo gle.com...[color=blue]
> Hi,
>
> I have an array - ListOfFiles - that i want use to populate an combo.
>
> I've attempted to do it like this
>
> <select name="txtAvaila ble" rows="4" id="txtAvailabl e">
> <Script Language = "vbscript" Runat = "Server">
> For i = 0 to Count -1
> Response.Write" <OPTION>" & ListOfFiles(i) & "</OPTION>"
> next
> </script></select>
>
> I placed the vbscript in the approprate place in the body. But when i
> open the page instead of writing the HTML where i placed the code, it
> has appended it right at the bottom of the page. Does anyone know
> where i'm going wrong or if there's a better way of doing this?
>
> Thanks
>
> Luke[/color]

[Dave Anderson]

Re: Populate a combo with an array

Lukelrc wrote:[color=blue]
>
> <select name="txtAvaila ble" rows="4" id="txtAvailabl e">
> <Script Language = "vbscript" Runat = "Server">
> For i = 0 to Count -1
> Response.Write" <OPTION>" & ListOfFiles(i) & "</OPTION>"
> next
> </script></select>
>
> I placed the vbscript in the approprate place in the body. But when i
> open the page instead of writing the HTML where i placed the code, it
> has appended it right at the bottom of the page. Does anyone know
> where i'm going wrong or if there's a better way of doing this?[/color]

This is an order-of-execution issue (http://aspfaq.com/show.asp?id=2045). If
you want to interlace server-side scripting with HTML, you will need <% %>
blocks.

I usually abstract as much processing as possible before writing any HTML.
In your case, I would build a single string to represent the entire array...

FilenameOptionL ist = CreateOptions(L istOfFiles,"")

....then insert it inline:

<SELECT><%=File nameOptionList% ></SELECT>

You can define the function anywhere in the script, either in <% %> blocks
or in <SCRIPT RUNAT="Server"> blocks. Here is a sample function:

=============== =============== =============== =============== ============
Function CreateOptions(b yVal A(), byVal DefaultValue)
Dim i, val
For i = 0 To UBound(A)
val = Server.HTMLEnco de(A(i))
If A(i) = DefaultValue Then
A(i) = "<OPTION VALUE=""" & val & """ SELECTED>" & _
val & "</OPTION>"
Else
A(i) = "<OPTION VALUE=""" & val & """>" & _
val & "</OPTION>"
End If
Next
CreateOptions = Join(A,vbCrLf)
End Function
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note that this example is capable of preselecting the control:

... = CreateOptions(L istOfFiles,Requ est.Form("txtAv ailable").Item)


Lastly, it bears mentioning that in many cases, this abstraction allows you
to simply use <SELECT><%=Crea teOptions(...)% ></SELECT>

More complicated functions can be written to create OPTION lists from 2D
arrays, wherein the .value and .text properties differ (<OPTION
VALUE="TN">Tenn essee</OPTION>). Either way, this type of function is
entirely self-contained, so it can be placed into a common include for reuse
wherever needed.

If you use JScript on the server side, you can even do something like
this...

Array.prototype .toOptions = function(val) {
for (var i=0,a=[]; i<this.length; i++)
a[i] = "\r\n<OPTIO N VALUE=\"" + this[i] +
(this[i]==val ? "\" SELECTED>" : "\">") +
this[i] + "</OPTION>"
return a.join("")
}

....in which case:

<%=ListOfFiles. toOptions()%>

would suffice, but:

<%=ListOfFiles. toOptions(Reque st.Form("txtAva ilable").Item)% >

works even better, and doesn't require a different method signature.


--
Dave Anderson

Unsolicited commercial email will be read at a cost of $500 per message. Use
of this email address implies consent to these terms. Please do not contact
me directly or ask me to contact you directly for assistance. If your
question is worth asking, it's worth posting.

[Dave Anderson]

Re: Populate a combo with an array

Ray at <%=sLocation% > [MVP] wrote:[color=blue]
> When things appear on the page where you don't expect them to, this
> is often because of some poorly written HTML, not code. Example:
>
> <table border="1">
> <tr>
> <td>XXX</td>
> YYY
> </tr>
> </table>
>
> The YYY will appear at the top of the page (in IE, anyway), although
> one may expect it to appear in the table.
>
> Basically, if you're seeing your select with the options in your
> array, your ASP code isn't the problem.[/color]

That's not correct, Ray. This is clearly an execution order problem. Note
the RUNAT="server" bit. If the default language is VBScript, that block
executes last, no matter where it sits in your code.

The fix is either abstraction or <%%> blocks.



--
Dave Anderson

Unsolicited commercial email will be read at a cost of $500 per message. Use
of this email address implies consent to these terms. Please do not contact
me directly or ask me to contact you directly for assistance. If your
question is worth asking, it's worth posting.

[Ray at]

Re: Populate a combo with an array


"Dave Anderson" <GTSPXOESSGOQ@s pammotel.com> wrote in message
news:ud3HavcPEH A.988@tk2msftng p13.phx.gbl...[color=blue][color=green]
> > Basically, if you're seeing your select with the options in your
> > array, your ASP code isn't the problem.[/color]
>
> That's not correct, Ray. This is clearly an execution order problem. Note
> the RUNAT="server" bit.[/color]

Oh yeah. Thanks Dave. Studying FAQ 2045 again now. :]

Ray at work

[Luke Curtis]

Re: Populate a combo with an array

Thanks for all your help.

I have created a string as suggested FileNameoptionl ist, which is fine.

Ive checked out about the execution order, but i cant see what exactly
the problem is. What is strange is that if i script:

<script language="vbscr ipt"
Runat="server"> Response.write( filenameOptionL ist)</script>

in either the head or the body, it produces the correct HTML but still
apended at the end - which does suggest an execution order problem, but
if i simply write:

<% response.write( Filenameoptionl ist)%>

or

<% =filenameoption list%>

I get nothing at all!

Does anyone know why this might be?
Thanks in advance.

Luke



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[Lukelrc]

Re: Populate a combo with an array

Thanks for all your help.

I have created a string as suggested FileNameoptionl ist, which is fine.

Ive checked out about the execution order, but i cant see what exactly
the problem is. What is strange is that if i script:

<script language="vbscr ipt"
Runat="server"> Response.write( filenameOptionL ist)</script>

in either the head or the body, it produces the correct HTML but still
apended at the end - which does suggest an execution order problem, but
if i simply write:

<% response.write( Filenameoptionl ist)%>

or

<% =filenameoption list%>

I get nothing at all!

Does anyone know why this might be?
Thanks in advance.

Luke

[Ray at]

Re: Populate a combo with an array

What about:

<% Response.WRite "Here is the filenameoptions list: " & Filenameoptionl ist
%>

Ray at work

"Lukelrc" <luke.curtis@we stoxon.gov.uk> wrote in message
news:201051d6.0 405200417.49e97 7a1@posting.goo gle.com...[color=blue]
> Thanks for all your help.
>
> I have created a string as suggested FileNameoptionl ist, which is fine.
>
> Ive checked out about the execution order, but i cant see what exactly
> the problem is. What is strange is that if i script:
>
> <script language="vbscr ipt"
> Runat="server"> Response.write( filenameOptionL ist)</script>
>
> in either the head or the body, it produces the correct HTML but still
> apended at the end - which does suggest an execution order problem, but
> if i simply write:
>
> <% response.write( Filenameoptionl ist)%>
>
> or
>
> <% =filenameoption list%>
>
> I get nothing at all!
>
> Does anyone know why this might be?
> Thanks in advance.
>
> Luke[/color]

[Roland Hall]

Re: Populate a combo with an array

"Lukelrc" wrote in message
news:201051d6.0 405190832.1cfda 517@posting.goo gle.com...
: I have an array - ListOfFiles - that i want use to populate an combo.
: I've attempted to do it like this
:
: <select name="txtAvaila ble" rows="4" id="txtAvailabl e">
: <Script Language = "vbscript" Runat = "Server">
: For i = 0 to Count -1
: Response.Write" <OPTION>" & ListOfFiles(i) & "</OPTION>"
: next
: </script></select>
:

Untested, just written here...

<%
Dim Count
Count = ubound(ListOfFi les())

sub prt(str)
Response.Write( str & vbCrLf)
end sub

sub lprt(str)
Response.Write( str & "<br />" & vbCrLf)
end sub

sub popList()
prt("<select name=""txtAvail able"" rows=""4"" id=""txtAvailab le"">")
for i = 0 to Count - 1
prt("<option value=""" & ListOfFiles(i) & """>" & ListOfFiles(i) &
"</option>")
next
prt("</script>")
end sub

lprt("Check out my list of files...")
popList
%>

HTH...

--
Roland Hall
/* This information is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
without any warranty; without even the implied warranty of merchantability
or fitness for a particular purpose. */
Technet Script Center - http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/
WSH 5.6 Documentation - http://msdn.microsoft.com/downloads/list/webdev.asp
MSDN Library - http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp

[Lukelrc]

Re: Populate a combo with an array

I've sorted it. When i had written the script that populated the
string i had open and closed script tags several times. Putting all of
the code into one set of tags sorted it. Thanks for your help.



Luke

[Roland Hall]

Re: Populate a combo with an array

"Lukelrc" wrote in message
news:201051d6.0 405210136.782dc 316@posting.goo gle.com...
: I've sorted it. When i had written the script that populated the
: string i had open and closed script tags several times. Putting all of
: the code into one set of tags sorted it. Thanks for your help.

Glad to hear it's working for you Luke. (O:=