Question

I have a PHP form which I use to edit a record in the MySQL data base and it has a drop down list of values I would like to set the option that is held in the database to be the first one in the list so that if the user doesn’t want to change the option then the database will not get overwritten with the default option

Can any one suggest a really simple solution?

Based on comment I do need help with the ability to set the selected value my HTML select

<select id="inputRegion" name="inputRegion">
<option name="inputRegion" id="inputRegion" value="Scotland">Scotland</option>
<option name="inputRegion" id="inputRegion" value="North West">North West</option>
<option name="inputRegion" id="inputRegion" value="North East">North East</option>
<option name="inputRegion" id="inputRegion" value="Yorkshire and Humberside">Yorkshire & Humberside</option>
<option name="inputRegion" id="inputRegion" value="East Midlands">East Midlands</option>
<option name="inputRegion" id="inputRegion" value="East Anglia">East Anglia</option>
<option name="inputRegion" id="inputRegion" value="London">London</option>
<option name="inputRegion" id="inputRegion" value="South East">South East</option>
<option name="inputRegion" id="inputRegion" value="South West">South West</option>
<option name="inputRegion" id="inputRegion" value="Wales">Wales</option>
<option name="inputRegion" id="inputRegion" value="West Midlands">West Midlands</option>
<option name="inputRegion" id="inputRegion" value="Northern Ireland">Northern Ireland</option>
</select>

My php comes from a query and then can get the current record’s region using;

<?php echo $contact['Region']; ?>

Answer 1

If it’s a small dropdown this is quick and easy

<label>Type: </label>
                <?php
                    if(isset($item->type_id))
                        $tid = $item->type_id;
                    else
                        $tid = 1; // Set this to your preferred default
                ?>
                <select name="type">
                    <option value="1" <?php if($tid == 1) echo ' selected' ?>>Type 1</option>
                    <option value="2" <?php if($tid == 2) echo ' selected' ?>>Type 2</option>
                    <option value="3" <?php if($tid == 3) echo ' selected' ?>>Type 3</option>
                </select>

If it’s a bigger dropdown write a php function to create the dropdown using an iterative approach

EDIT * is this right as it is now defaulting to the $tid

                        <?php
                                if(isset($contact['Region']))
                                    $tid = $contact['Region'];
                                else
                                    $tid = 'South East'; // Set this to your preferred default
                            ?>          
                            <select id="inputRegion" name="inputRegion">
                                    <option name="inputRegion" id="inputRegion" value="Scotland" <?php if($tid == 'Scotland') echo ' selected' ?>>Scotland</option>
                                    <option name="inputRegion" id="inputRegion" value="North West" <?php if($tid == 'North West') echo ' selected' ?>>North West</option>
                                    <option name="inputRegion" id="inputRegion" value="North East" <?php if($tid == 'North East') echo ' selected' ?>>North East</option>
                                    <option name="inputRegion" id="inputRegion" value="Yorkshire and Humberside" <?php if($tid == 'Yorkshire and Humberside"') echo ' selected' ?>>Yorkshire & Humberside</option>
                                    <option name="inputRegion" id="inputRegion" value="East Midlands" <?php if($tid == 'East Midlands') echo ' selected' ?>>East Midlands</option>
                                    <option name="inputRegion" id="inputRegion" value="East Anglia" <?php if($tid == 'East Anglia') echo ' selected' ?>>East Anglia</option>
                                    <option name="inputRegion" id="inputRegion" value="London" <?php if($tid == 'London') echo ' selected' ?>>London</option>
                                    <option name="inputRegion" id="inputRegion" value="South East" <?php if($tid == 'South East') echo ' selected' ?>>South East</option>
                                    <option name="inputRegion" id="inputRegion" value="South West" <?php if($tid == 'South West') echo ' selected' ?>>South West</option>
                                    <option name="inputRegion" id="inputRegion" value="Wales" <?php if($tid == 'Wales') echo ' selected' ?>>Wales</option>
                                    <option name="inputRegion" id="inputRegion" value="West Midlands" <?php if($tid == 'West Midlands') echo ' selected' ?>>West Midlands</option>
                                    <option name="inputRegion" id="inputRegion" value="Northern Ireland" <?php if($tid == 'Northern Ireland') echo ' selected' ?>>Northern Ireland</option>
                            </select>