Question

I am still learning javascript and xml and have recently been presented with an issue I’m sure is simple to solve. I’m hoping for some help on this if possible.

I have an xml file that is found here

http://mrblesid.com/blueprint/bookinglist.xml

I’m currently using this code to create a drop down list featuring the values from just one of the attributes “strArtistName”

$(document).ready(function(artists){
$.ajax({
    type: "GET",
    url: "bookinglist.xml",
    dataType: "xml",
    success: function(artists_list) { 
        var select = $('#mySelect');
        $(artists_list).find('vw_ADM_BookingListNull[strArtistName]').each(function(){
            var artists = $(this).attr('strArtistName');
            select.append('<option value="'+artists+'">'+artists+'</option>');
            });
    select.children(":first").text("please make a selection").attr("selected",true);
    }
    });
});

This is then called into a dropdown via the following

<form>
  <select id="mySelect">
  <option>loading</option>
  </select>
</form>

I would like to avoid repeating the artist names that are found for every entry, am I right to think I would need to use an array for this? If so how do I go about it?

The name selected from the list should populate a variable to use elsewhere in the report.

Any help would be greatly appreciates as I have deadlines looming.

Thanks in advance,
Mikey

Answer 1

An array will work. Update the main part to

var artistsArr = [];
$(artists_list).find('vw_ADM_BookingListNull[strArtistName]').each(function(){
    var artists = $(this).attr('strArtistName');
    if ($.inArray(artists, artistsArr) == -1) {
        select.append('<option value="'+artists+'">'+artists+'</option>');
        artistsArr.push(artists);
    }
});

Some browsers don’t support Array.indexOf, so you can use jQuery’s inArray.