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> SELECT scripting?, How do I make a one-click SELECT?
jmrathbun
post Aug 10 2011, 06:36 PM
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A couple of apps I've written recently contain HTML SELECT forms, and I'm taking guff from beta testers because they have to click twice: once to make a selection and once to send it to the server. Is there a way to make an HTML SELECT form active as soon as the user clicks a selection?
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Darin McGrew
post Aug 10 2011, 06:42 PM
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I recommend not making HTML forms submit automatically as soon as the select element is changed. Non-standard GUI controls are at the top of the list in Jakob Nielsen's Top-10 Application-Design Mistakes. If you need the browser to act upon the choice immediately, then use a button or a link or some other element that normally has an immediate effect. Don't use a select element or a radio button or a checkbox or some other element that normally has no effect until the form is submitted.
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Christian J
post Aug 11 2011, 05:41 AM
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QUOTE(jmrathbun @ Aug 11 2011, 01:36 AM) *

A couple of apps I've written recently contain HTML SELECT forms

Does the form contain other form elements (text fields, checkboxes, radio buttons) besides a SELECT menu? Then you can't submit the form automatically when a selection is made, since the other elements may still be empty/unused (unless the elements are mutually exclusive).

QUOTE
Is there a way to make an HTML SELECT form active as soon as the user clicks a selection?

You can let an onchange event capture the selected option value and then submit the form with javascript. But I agree with Darin and Jakob about the usability problems.


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jmrathbun
post Aug 11 2011, 06:41 AM
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The form has no other element and is not practical for buttons as there are over 100 options.
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Darin McGrew
post Aug 11 2011, 12:08 PM
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With more than 100 options, I would argue that it isn't practical as a select element either.

When I've encountered a select element with that many options, I often find myself selecting an option that looks good, and then continuing my search looking for a more appropriate option. I'd hate to have the form automatically act on my tentative selection...
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pandy
post Aug 11 2011, 12:26 PM
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Yeah, 4 rows with 25 radio buttons each ain't that bad. A whole lot easier to find what you want than with SELECT. But that's me....
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Brian Chandler
post Aug 11 2011, 12:33 PM
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QUOTE(pandy @ Aug 12 2011, 02:26 AM) *

Yeah, 4 rows with 25 radio buttons each ain't that bad. A whole lot easier to find what you want than with SELECT. But that's me....


I think you're missing the fascination of Mystery Meat...
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