Easier way to add an empty option in a select element about html

[robertholf]

@octoxan the "null" value in can be used to specify the selected option. The placeholder will just add a dummy value at the top and will be selected if the 3rd argument is null.

Default selected:
{{ Form::select('size', $sizes, null, ['class' => 'form-control', 'placeholder' => 'Select a Size...']) }}

Specific Value Selected:
{{ Form::select('size', $sizes, $data->size, ['class' => 'form-control', 'placeholder' => 'Select a Size...']) }}

*$data is the current record and size is the related field
*$sizes is an object with all options

[adamgoose]

Yeah, I like this idea. For now, you can do something like this:

  {!! Form::select('user_id', [null => 'Select a user...'] + $users->lists('name', 'id')) !!}

My idea for implementing this would be to add an option to the $attributes array you can pass in as the 4th argument, like so:

  {!! Form::select('user_id', $users->lists('name', 'id'), null, ['optional' => 'Select a user...']) !!}

Thoughts?

[djtechonline]

Any update on this? I have an issue w/ moving a select element from a Laravel 5.0 project to Laravel 5.1 causing an Unsupported operand types error. Also, need to prepend multiple options such as:

{!! Form::select('user_selection',['' => '- select -'] + ['other'=>'Other (unlisted)'] + $data,null,['class'=>'form-control','placeholder'=>'Choose a value...']) !!}

Worked before, now it doesn't!
View more at: http://laravel.io/forum/08-03-2015-l51-unsupported-operand-types-error-on-select-element-w-default-blank-dropdown-option

[azulkipli]

I tried on laravel 5.1

{!! Form::select('size', array('L' => 'Large', 'S' => 'Small'), null, ['placeholder' => 'Pick a size...']) !!}

Not work

[octoxan]

@robertholf Weird, I swear I tried that right before I posted and it was still selecting the placeholder. Works now though. lol

[Arkitecht]

I second the above. This would be the easiest, simplest implementation.

[adamgoose]

Ok, I pushed something to master. Do you guys wanna play with it and see what you think?

[adamgoose]

Docs here: http://laravelcollective.com/docs/master/html#drop-down-lists

Generating a Drop-Down List With an Empty Placeholder

echo Form::select('size', array('L' => 'Large', 'S' => 'Small'), null, ['optional' => 'Pick a size...']);

[JorisDebonnet]

Works great!

I do personally wonder whether "optional" is the best label for it - why not simply "placeholder"? That word is not a valid attribute for a <select> tag in HTML4-5 anyway, so it would sort of be like "adding support" for it here. I also believe that the word "placeholder" makes more clear what it does than the word "optional".

[adamgoose]

You know, I thought about that... But the placeholder attribute is actually not considered valid on a select element. I could call it placeholder and remove it from the $options before casting it to the dom attributes. I just wouldn't want to get it confused.

Thoughts anyone else? @tshafer?

[JorisDebonnet]

Well, optional is not valid on a select element either, that's why I thought we could just as well make it something more recognizable :) It even makes some sense semantically (you never know they'll make it into a standard one day :o ).

But let's see what other people think.

[adamgoose]

I am removing the "optional" attribute from the <select> element before I render it. See https://github.com/LaravelCollective/html/blob/master/src/FormBuilder.php#L500

[JorisDebonnet]

Yeah I saw - I just mean you could handle placeholder the exact same way, as you suggested.

[JorisDebonnet]

So what I mean is that it could make some sense being in between the other attributes in the $attributes array, even if it isn't "physically" an attribute.

[tshafer]

I say we go with placeholder. I understand right away what this is supposed to do.

[adamgoose]

Sounds good. I'll push the tweak now.

[rumeau]

A placeholder shouldn't submit data, fb7693c renames the placeholder paramenter, but placeholder value is being sent for select element when placeholder item is selected.

[JorisDebonnet]

Try using $data.toArray().

[djtechonline]

I tried your .toArray() suggestion, but I still get the same error.

[tshafer]

What error did you get if any?

@tshafer I'm having the same problem - there's no error message, but no placeholder <option> either. It renders the following:

<select name="size" placeholder="Pick a size...">
  <option value="L">Large</option>
  <option value="S">Small</option>
</select>

Laravel 5.1

[adamgoose]

Could you both do me a favor, and run composer show --installed inside your Laravel application, and get me the version and commit hash of the laravelcollective/html you have installed?

[azulkipli]

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[adamgoose]

Looks like you have laravelcollective/html v5.0.0 installed. Please update your composer.json file and use version 5.1.*.

Thanks,
Adam.

[adamgoose]

Oh, just kidding. Looks like you do have laravelcollective/html v5.1.* installed, however you also have illuminate/html v5.0.0 installed. This is surely what is causing your troubles.

[nancymic2]

Hi
I have been looking for a way to let a user select a value or no value at all or even some sentinel value (since the values are coming from the companies table and may not want to associate an expense with any company) but no matter what i use here, empty string, NULL, zeros, I don't think this value is getting passed in the update statement. Is it? Can it?
{{ Form::select('company_id', [null => '000000'] + $company1_lists) }}

[adamgoose]

@nancymic2 See docs here: http://laravelcollective.com/docs/master/html#drop-down-lists

[nancymic2]

@adamgoose
Thanks much. From above, the select dropdown works, but I guess my issue is that I don't know how to add a value to the array or collection or whatever is coming from the database using lists and have it sent as the company id value back to the database on submit

[adamgoose]

If $companies is an instance of the Laravel Collection class, you can call $companies->lists('name', 'id')

[nancymic2]

Thanks I'll take a look

[nancymic2]

FYI $companies is a table
duh. I think it's json

[godbout]

Quick question. When I use the placeholder, I end up with an empty field in my request::all() data if the user chooses that option. The problem is that the field has a foreign key, and although it can be null, it cannot be equal to an empty string. So is the way to deal with that is to add an null => 'Choose blablal' in front of my array of options, or there is something that I don't understand with the placeholder, like how to set a default value? Hope that make sense. Thanks!

[justinexoplanet]

For me, doing Form::select('size', ['L' => 'Large', 'S' => 'Small'], null, ['placeholder' => 'Pick a size...']);
when I'm updating a form, it passes "Pick a size..." when submitted on update. That's not what it should do.

Is there any fix for passing an empty field yet?

[robertholf]

https://laravelcollective.com/docs/master/html#drop-down-lists
echo Form::select('size', ['L' => 'Large', 'S' => 'Small'], null, ['placeholder' => 'Pick a size...']);
or in my example with a binded model
{{ Form::select('size', $sizes, null, ['class' => 'form-control', 'placeholder' => 'Select a Size...']) }}

[octoxan]

So there's no method of adding an extra option at the top, and not pre-selecting it? I have a bunch of data and for each row in the database there's a page with a form on it to modify it. I'd like to have the current value be the default selected option, but adding a placeholder overrides this. =/

[Ghafoorfahim]

@JorisDebonnet
I think its the easy and the best way.
{{Form::select('diameter',$diameter,null,['class' => 'form-control','placeholder' => 'Select diameter'])}}

[palakvasani]

Hello,
I am facing this same issue? Can I refer anywhere for this resolution please?
Regards,
Palak

[robertholf]

@palakvasani check my response above

[AmazingVanish]

This is working well for me, however it is common practice to add the "disabled" attribute on the option so it is evident (dimmed) when clicking on it that the option is not acceptable. Would it be possible to add that, or would it cause problems for people who need the empty to be returned?