setting style of dynamic options

[netclectic@hotmail.com]

I'm dynamically adding options to a select list in javascript and i
need to be able to set the height of the option, but setting
style.height has not effect, I also tried style.pixelHeig ht but no
joy.

i'm doing something like this (:

var selectControl = document.getEle mentById('MySel ect');
var el = document.create Element('option ');
el.value = "some value";
el.style.height = "500";
selectControl.a ppendChild(el);


any ideas?

[Mick White]

Re: setting style of dynamic options

netclectic@hotm ail.com wrote:[color=blue]
> I'm dynamically adding options to a select list in javascript and i
> need to be able to set the height of the option, but setting
> style.height has not effect, I also tried style.pixelHeig ht but no
> joy.
>
> i'm doing something like this (:
>
> var selectControl = document.getEle mentById('MySel ect');
> var el = document.create Element('option ');
> el.value = "some value";
> el.style.height = "500";
> selectControl.a ppendChild(el);
>
>
> any ideas?[/color]

500 what? Pixels?
And why no "el.text"?
Mick

[RobB]

Re: setting style of dynamic options

netclectic@hotm ail.com wrote in message news:<5b8e2d01. 0411120728.3e66 23e9@posting.go ogle.com>...[color=blue]
> I'm dynamically adding options to a select list in javascript and i
> need to be able to set the height of the option, but setting
> style.height has not effect, I also tried style.pixelHeig ht but no
> joy.
>
> i'm doing something like this (:
>
> var selectControl = document.getEle mentById('MySel ect');
> var el = document.create Element('option ');
> el.value = "some value";
> el.style.height = "500";
> selectControl.a ppendChild(el);
>
>
> any ideas?[/color]

el.style.height = "500px"; //tall option!

[RobG]

Re: setting style of dynamic options

netclectic@hotm ail.com wrote:[color=blue]
> I'm dynamically adding options to a select list in javascript and i
> need to be able to set the height of the option, but setting
> style.height has not effect, I also tried style.pixelHeig ht but no
> joy.
>
> i'm doing something like this (:
>
> var selectControl = document.getEle mentById('MySel ect');
> var el = document.create Element('option ');
> el.value = "some value";
> el.style.height = "500";
> selectControl.a ppendChild(el);
>
>
> any ideas?[/color]

You control the style of an option from the select element it's nested
inside. If you are trying to control the size of the option font, use
a style on the select:

<form...>
<select style="font-size: 12pt;">
<option ...>...</option>
...

Naturally you can also use a CSS class rather than an in-line style.

If you are trying to control the height of the box that the options are
displayed inside, use the "size" attribute of the select element:

<form...>
<select style="font-size: 12pt;" size="4">
<option ...>...</option>
...

"size" refers to the number of options displayed, so you may not want
to use 500.

More information can be found here:

<URL: http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/interact/forms.html#h-17.6>

Cheers, Rob.

[RobB]

Re: setting style of dynamic options

RobG <rgqld@iinet.ne t.auau> wrote in message news:<PNRld.673 $I52.23765@news .optus.net.au>. ..[color=blue]
> netclectic@hotm ail.com wrote:[color=green]
> > I'm dynamically adding options to a select list in javascript and i
> > need to be able to set the height of the option, but setting
> > style.height has not effect, I also tried style.pixelHeig ht but no
> > joy.
> >
> > i'm doing something like this (:
> >
> > var selectControl = document.getEle mentById('MySel ect');
> > var el = document.create Element('option ');
> > el.value = "some value";
> > el.style.height = "500";
> > selectControl.a ppendChild(el);
> >
> >
> > any ideas?[/color]
>
> You control the style of an option from the select element it's nested
> inside. If you are trying to control the size of the option font, use
> a style on the select:
>
> <form...>
> <select style="font-size: 12pt;">
> <option ...>...</option>
> ...
>
> Naturally you can also use a CSS class rather than an in-line style.
>
> If you are trying to control the height of the box that the options are
> displayed inside, use the "size" attribute of the select element:
>
> <form...>
> <select style="font-size: 12pt;" size="4">
> <option ...>...</option>
> ...
>
> "size" refers to the number of options displayed, so you may not want
> to use 500.
>
> More information can be found here:
>
> <URL: http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/interact/forms.html#h-17.6>
>
> Cheers, Rob.[/color]
[color=blue]
> RobG wrote
> You control the style of an option from the select element it's nested
> inside.[/color]

Only in Internet Explorer, where 'windowed' elements (like listboxes)
have limited exposure. More advanced CSS browsers allow styling of
Options like any other element, although some layout aspects,
naturally, pertain to the containing list rather than any specific
option.

[RobG]

Re: setting style of dynamic options

RobB wrote:[color=blue][color=green]
>>RobG wrote
>>You control the style of an option from the select element it's nested
>>inside.[/color]
>
>
> Only in Internet Explorer, where 'windowed' elements (like listboxes)
> have limited exposure. More advanced CSS browsers allow styling of
> Options like any other element, although some layout aspects,
> naturally, pertain to the containing list rather than any specific
> option.[/color]

Not just Explorer, Safari is the same (but I haven't tested the latest
version). I expect all the Geko-based browsers support styles on
options, perhaps someone can comment on Opera.

Below is some test code, try changing the height of option 11 to 20em -
additional space is added below option 25 - similarly if you make it
500px as the OP attempted.

A bit of testing in Firefox shows that whilst small heights (say
equivalent to 2 to 5 lines) work fine, large heights are not reliable
and results vary if options have different heights specified. Note
also that the option height affects the select height - even though
only 3 rows are supposed to show, the select is greatly expanded - I
guess that the select height is set to size x the largest line height
which can result in an overly extended select.

Given that the OP didn't see any effect of "height" in their browser,
it's likely that s/he isn't using one of the "more advanced CSS
browsers". And given the majority of web surfers use IE, it's best not
to depend on features it doesn't have.

To top it off, the difficulty of controlling the size of the select
element itself if options are given different heights introduces
apparent unreliability in the UI that users may not understand.

But it's an issue worth discussing - thanks for bringing it up. :-)

Rob.

*Play code follows:*

<form action="">
<select name="aSelect"
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: sans-serif;" size="3">
<option value="opt1">op tion 1
<option value="opt2">op tion 2
<option value="opt3">op tion 3
<option value="opt4">op tion 4
<option value="opt5">op tion 5
<option value="opt6">op tion 6
<option value="opt7">op tion 7
<option value="opt8"
style="font-family: courier; font-weight: bold;">option 8
<option value="opt9"
style="font-weight: bold; height: 20px;">option 9
<option value="opt10">o ption 10
<option value="opt11"
style="font-weight: bold; height: 2em;">option 11
<option value="opt12">o ption 12
<option value="opt13">o ption 13
<option value="opt14">o ption 14
<option value="opt15">o ption 15
<option value="opt16">o ption 16
<option value="opt17">o ption 17
<option value="opt18">o ption 18
<option value="opt19">o ption 19
<option value="opt20">o ption 20
<option value="opt21">o ption 21
<option value="opt22">o ption 22
<option value="opt23">o ption 23
<option value="opt24">o ption 24
<option value="opt25">o ption 25
</select><br>
<input type="reset"><b r><br>
<input type="text" cols="10" name="aNum">
Enter a number from 1 to 25 and that option will be selected<br>
<input type="button" value="click me" onclick="
var x = this.form.aNum. value;
if (x > 0 && x < 26) {
this.form.aSele ct.options[x - 1].selected='true '
} else {
alert('From 1 to 25 please, ' + x + ' is out of bounds');
}
">
</form>

[netclectic@hotmail.com]

Re: setting style of dynamic options

Mick White <mwhite13@roche ster.rr.com> wrote in message news:<e%5ld.332 5$Mg.1908@twist er.nyroc.rr.com >...[color=blue]
> netclectic@hotm ail.com wrote:[color=green]
> > I'm dynamically adding options to a select list in javascript and i
> > need to be able to set the height of the option, but setting
> > style.height has not effect, I also tried style.pixelHeig ht but no
> > joy.
> >
> > i'm doing something like this (:
> >
> > var selectControl = document.getEle mentById('MySel ect');
> > var el = document.create Element('option ');
> > el.value = "some value";
> > el.style.height = "500";
> > selectControl.a ppendChild(el);
> >
> >
> > any ideas?[/color]
>
> 500 what? Pixels?
> And why no "el.text"?
> Mick[/color]

500 anythings, i tried px, pt, % - none of them made any difference.
I was setting el.innerText, missed that out the code snippet. Sorry.

[netclectic@hotmail.com]

Re: setting style of dynamic options

ferndoc9@hotmai l.com (RobB) wrote in message news:<ab354593. 0411121141.2a9b 5775@posting.go ogle.com>...[color=blue]
> netclectic@hotm ail.com wrote in message news:<5b8e2d01. 0411120728.3e66 23e9@posting.go ogle.com>...[color=green]
> > I'm dynamically adding options to a select list in javascript and i
> > need to be able to set the height of the option, but setting
> > style.height has not effect, I also tried style.pixelHeig ht but no
> > joy.
> >
> > i'm doing something like this (:
> >
> > var selectControl = document.getEle mentById('MySel ect');
> > var el = document.create Element('option ');
> > el.value = "some value";
> > el.style.height = "500";
> > selectControl.a ppendChild(el);
> >
> >
> > any ideas?[/color]
>
> el.style.height = "500px"; //tall option![/color]

tried this, but it doesn't seem to make any difference in IE.

[netclectic@hotmail.com]

Re: setting style of dynamic options

RobG <rgqld@iinet.ne t.auau> wrote in message news:<PNRld.673 $I52.23765@news .optus.net.au>. ..[color=blue]
> netclectic@hotm ail.com wrote:[color=green]
> > I'm dynamically adding options to a select list in javascript and i
> > need to be able to set the height of the option, but setting
> > style.height has not effect, I also tried style.pixelHeig ht but no
> > joy.
> >
> > i'm doing something like this (:
> >
> > var selectControl = document.getEle mentById('MySel ect');
> > var el = document.create Element('option ');
> > el.value = "some value";
> > el.style.height = "500";
> > selectControl.a ppendChild(el);
> >
> >
> > any ideas?[/color]
>
> You control the style of an option from the select element it's nested
> inside. If you are trying to control the size of the option font, use
> a style on the select:
>
> <form...>
> <select style="font-size: 12pt;">
> <option ...>...</option>
> ...
>
> Naturally you can also use a CSS class rather than an in-line style.
>
> If you are trying to control the height of the box that the options are
> displayed inside, use the "size" attribute of the select element:
>
> <form...>
> <select style="font-size: 12pt;" size="4">
> <option ...>...</option>
> ...
>
> "size" refers to the number of options displayed, so you may not want
> to use 500.
>
> More information can be found here:
>
> <URL: http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/interact/forms.html#h-17.6>
>
> Cheers, Rob.[/color]

I don't want to set the font size of the select size. I want to set
the height of each option in the select, like line height.

[netclectic@hotmail.com]

Re: setting style of dynamic options

RobG <rgqld@iinet.ne t.auau> wrote in message news:<GQXld.697 $I52.24166@news .optus.net.au>. ..[color=blue]
> RobB wrote:[color=green][color=darkred]
> >>RobG wrote
> >>You control the style of an option from the select element it's nested
> >>inside.[/color]
> >
> >
> > Only in Internet Explorer, where 'windowed' elements (like listboxes)
> > have limited exposure. More advanced CSS browsers allow styling of
> > Options like any other element, although some layout aspects,
> > naturally, pertain to the containing list rather than any specific
> > option.[/color]
>
> Not just Explorer, Safari is the same (but I haven't tested the latest
> version). I expect all the Geko-based browsers support styles on
> options, perhaps someone can comment on Opera.
>
> Below is some test code, try changing the height of option 11 to 20em -
> additional space is added below option 25 - similarly if you make it
> 500px as the OP attempted.
>
> A bit of testing in Firefox shows that whilst small heights (say
> equivalent to 2 to 5 lines) work fine, large heights are not reliable
> and results vary if options have different heights specified. Note
> also that the option height affects the select height - even though
> only 3 rows are supposed to show, the select is greatly expanded - I
> guess that the select height is set to size x the largest line height
> which can result in an overly extended select.
>
> Given that the OP didn't see any effect of "height" in their browser,
> it's likely that s/he isn't using one of the "more advanced CSS
> browsers". And given the majority of web surfers use IE, it's best not
> to depend on features it doesn't have.
>
> To top it off, the difficulty of controlling the size of the select
> element itself if options are given different heights introduces
> apparent unreliability in the UI that users may not understand.
>
> But it's an issue worth discussing - thanks for bringing it up. :-)
>
> Rob.
>
> *Play code follows:*
>
> <form action="">
> <select name="aSelect"
> style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: sans-serif;" size="3">
> <option value="opt1">op tion 1
> <option value="opt2">op tion 2
> <option value="opt3">op tion 3
> <option value="opt4">op tion 4
> <option value="opt5">op tion 5
> <option value="opt6">op tion 6
> <option value="opt7">op tion 7
> <option value="opt8"
> style="font-family: courier; font-weight: bold;">option 8
> <option value="opt9"
> style="font-weight: bold; height: 20px;">option 9
> <option value="opt10">o ption 10
> <option value="opt11"
> style="font-weight: bold; height: 2em;">option 11
> <option value="opt12">o ption 12
> <option value="opt13">o ption 13
> <option value="opt14">o ption 14
> <option value="opt15">o ption 15
> <option value="opt16">o ption 16
> <option value="opt17">o ption 17
> <option value="opt18">o ption 18
> <option value="opt19">o ption 19
> <option value="opt20">o ption 20
> <option value="opt21">o ption 21
> <option value="opt22">o ption 22
> <option value="opt23">o ption 23
> <option value="opt24">o ption 24
> <option value="opt25">o ption 25
> </select><br>
> <input type="reset"><b r><br>
> <input type="text" cols="10" name="aNum">
> Enter a number from 1 to 25 and that option will be selected<br>
> <input type="button" value="click me" onclick="
> var x = this.form.aNum. value;
> if (x > 0 && x < 26) {
> this.form.aSele ct.options[x - 1].selected='true '
> } else {
> alert('From 1 to 25 please, ' + x + ' is out of bounds');
> }
> ">
> </form>[/color]

Thanks, that makes sense. So setting the height of option isn't
something that can be done in IE. And sure enough, testing my existing
code in Firefox works as expected, sadly it's for an internal web
application where only IE is supported.

Oh well, another feature dropped from the supported list.