using jquery to select an option in a select based on a user-defined variable

Question

Given a user-defined variable jstatus, I want that that particular variable should be selected in a given list of options.

My list is like this:

<select name='job_status' id='job_status'>
    <option>Pre-press</option>
    <option>Printers</option>
    <option>Cutting</option>
    <option>Final touches</option>
    <option>Delivery</option>
    <option>Ready</option>
</select>

And somewhere in my javascript code after setting the value of jstatus, this is my jquery:

$("#job_status option[value='"+jstatus+"']").attr('selected','selected');

But it's not working. What's the right way to do it?

Please, provide value attribute to each <option> tag

Mikhail Chernykh
– Mikhail Chernykh

2013-04-02 14:18:31 +00:00
Commented Apr 2, 2013 at 14:18 — Mikhail Chernykh
– Mikhail Chernykh, Commented Apr 2, 2013 at 14:18

Joe Enos · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-02 14:18:28Z

4

Easiest way is to set the value directly:

jQuery("#job_status").val(jstatus);

answered Apr 2, 2013 at 14:18

Joe Enos

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Anton Igonin · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-02 14:18:44Z

2

You need to add value to selector first.

<option value="Pre-press">Pre-press</option>

answered Apr 2, 2013 at 14:18

Anton Igonin

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Torben · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-02 14:20:44Z

1

The problem is that your select list has no "value"-property on its options

<select name='job_status' id='job_status'>
     <option value="val1">Pre-press</option>
     <option value="val2">Printers</option>
     <option value="val3">Cutting</option>
     <option value="val4">Final touches</option>
     <option value="val5">Delivery</option>
     <option value="val6">Ready</option>
</select>

<script>
    $( 'select option[value="val3"]' ).attr( 'selected', 'selected' );
</script>

You can also use jQuery's val() method

$( 'select' ).val( 'val3' )

this would have the same effect as the above

answered Apr 2, 2013 at 14:20

Torben

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Petr Čihula · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-02 14:30:01Z

1

If you still prefer using a direct selector, there's :contains for you to select element by its contents. For your case it goes pretty much like this:

$("#job_status option:contains("+jstatus+")").attr('selected','selected');

answered Apr 2, 2013 at 14:30

Petr Čihula

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