Question

Im looking for a select box that i can use that has expandible optgroups

The options in the groups should not display until the mouse is move over the optgroup label

<select>
 <optgroup label="group 1"> 
  <option>1</option> <!-- Options within this group hidden until mouseover its group label -->
  <option>2</option>
  <option>3</option>
  <option>4</option> 
 </optgroup>
 <optgroup label="group 2">
  <option>1</option> <!-- Options within this group hidden until mouseover its group label -->
  <option>2</option>
  <option>3</option>
  <option>4</option>
 </optgroup>
 <optgroup label="group 3">
  <option>1</option> <!-- Options within this group hidden until mouseover its group label -->
  <option>2</option>
  <option>3</option>
  <option>4</option>
 </optgroup>
</select>

I want to be able to do this becuase am going to have some very large options and it will help break them down.

If i am unable to do this through an HTML select box + JS i would like to build a customised dropdown that will support this using DIV tags. If anyone knows where i can find any information about this or a tutorial that would be great.

Thanks

Answer 1

NVM i found a solution that works,

I had to use HTML, CSS and JS to achieve what i wanted.

I copied this tutorial
http://www.onextrapixel.com/2012/06/20/create-a-custom-select-box-with-jquery/

and added the extra bits i needed to generate the groups and functionality.

The code that works for me is below….

This is the HTML to generate the layout

  <div class='selectBox'>
    <span class='selected'>Reset Filter</span> <span class=
    'selectArrow'>&amp;#9660</span>
    <div class="selectOptions">
      <div>
        <span class="selectOption c1" value="reset" group="0">Reset Filter</span>
      </div>
      <div>
        <span class="selectOption c1" value="online_booking" group="1">Online
        Booking</span>
      </div>
      <div>
        <span class="selectOptionGroup" value="2">&gt;&gt; Services Offered</span>
        <span class="selectOption" value="SERVICING" group="2">SERVICING</span>
        <span class="selectOption" value="MOT TESTING" group="2">MOT TESTING</span>
        <span class="selectOption" value="TYRES" group="2">TYRES</span>
      </div>
      <div>
        <span class="selectOptionGroup" value="3">&gt;&gt; Car Manufacturer</span>
        <span class="selectOption" value="ALFA ROMEO" group="3">ALFA ROMEO</span>
        <span class="selectOption" value="ASTON MARTIN" group="3">ASTON MARTIN</span>
        <span class="selectOption" value="AUDI" group="3">AUDI</span>
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>

This is the Jquery JS code that creates the dropdown

    function enableSelectBoxes(){
            $('div.selectBox').each(function(){
                $(this).children('span.selected').html($(this).children('div.selectOptions').children('span.selectOption:first').html());
                $(this).attr('value',$(this).children('div.selectOptions').children('span.selectOption:first').attr('value'));

                $(this).children('span.selected,span.selectArrow').click(function(){
                        if($(this).parent().children('div.selectOptions').css('display') == 'none'){
                                $(this).parent().children('div.selectOptions').css('display','block');
                        }
                        else
                        {
                                $(this).parent().children('div.selectOptions').css('display','none');
                        }
                });

                $(this).find('span.selectOption').click(function(){
                        $(this).parent().parent().css('display','none');
                        $(this).closest('div.selectBox').attr('value',$(this).attr('value'));
                        $(this).parent().parent().siblings('span.selected').html($(this).html());
                        $("#filter_type").val($(this).attr("group"));
                        $("#filter_value").val($(this).attr("value"));
                });

                $(this).find('span.selectOptionGroup').click(function(){
                    var group = $(this).attr("value");
                    $(this).parent().children("span[group='" + group + "']").each(function(){
                        if($(this).css("display") == "block") {
                            $(this).css("display", "none");
                        }
                        else {
                            $(this).css("display", "block");
                        }
                    });
                });
            });
    }

And finally the CSS

div.selectBox {
    position: relative;
    display: inline-block;
    cursor: default;
    text-align: left;
    line-height: 30px;
    clear: both;
    color: #888;
    margin-top: 20px;
}

span.selected {
    width: 167px;
    text-indent: 20px;
    border: 1px solid #ccc;
    border-right: none;
    border-top-left-radius: 5px;
    border-bottom-left-radius: 5px;
    background: #f6f6f6;
    overflow: hidden;
}

span.selectArrow {
    width: 30px;
    border: 1px solid #9FD573;
    border-top-right-radius: 5px;
    border-bottom-right-radius: 5px;
    text-align: center;
    font-size: 20px;
    -webkit-user-select: none;
    -khtml-user-select: none;
    -moz-user-select: none;
    -o-user-select: none;
    user-select: none;
    background: #9FD573;
}

span.selectArrow,span.selected {
    position: relative;
    float: left;
    height: 30px;
    z-index: 1;
}

div.selectOptions {
    position: absolute;
    top: 28px;
    left: 0;
    width: 198px;
    border: 1px solid #ccc;
    border-bottom-right-radius: 5px;
    border-bottom-left-radius: 5px;
    overflow: hidden;
    background: #f6f6f6;
    padding-top: 2px;
    display: none;
    max-height: 400px;
    overflow: auto;
}

span.selectOption, span.selectOptionGroup {
    width: 80%;
    line-height: 20px;
    padding: 5px 10%;
}


span.selectOption{
    display: none;
}

span.selectOption:hover, span.selectOptionGroup:hover {
    color: #f6f6f6;
    background: #4096ee;
}

span.selectOptionGroup {
    display: block;
    font-weight: bold;
    font-style: italic;
}