Selecting values from a multiple select picklist with Javascript

Question

How would I set values of a picklist with Javascript? Like for example, a page loads, and I want several values of a picklist to be selected (I will generate these with PHP from the database and echo the actual Javascript). I don't need the actual page load part, just how to select a value out of a picklist (with multiple select)

Why don't you mark them as selected right within PHP, when you create the page? — Tomalak, Nov 28 '11 at 17:18
Check this question http://stackoverflow.com/questions/149573/check-if-option-is-selected-with-jquery-if-not-select-a-default — Toni Toni Chopper, Nov 28 '11 at 17:21

score 4 · Answer 1 · edited Nov 28 '11 at 18:26

A select contains an options collection. Each element therein has a selected property. To select certain items in your select, just use a simple loop and set selected to true for the desired options:

<select id="multiPickList" multiple="multiple">
    <option value="1">A</option>
    <option value="2">B</option>
    <option value="3">C</option>
    <option value="4">D</option>
    <option value="5">E</option>
</select>
<script type="text/javascript">
    var pl = document.getElementById("multiPickList");
    for (i = 0; i < pl.options.length; i++) {
       if (i % 2 == 0) {
          pl.options[i].selected = true;
       }
    }
</script>

Selecting values from a multiple select picklist with Javascript

1 Answers1