Question

I’m using classic asp, I have a drop down list that the user selects and then presses submit. After they press submit the drop down list is going back to the default value instead of what they selected. Is there anyway to keep the state of the drop down between post backs instead of it going back to the default? Can post code sample if needed.
Thanks!

Answer 1

You have to “select it” serverside according to the values that the user has POSTed.

<select id="cars">
  <option value="volvo" 
      <%
      if request.form("cars") = "volvo" then 
          response.write("selected") 
      end if %>
      >Volvo</option>
  <option value="Saab" 
      <%
      if request.form("cars") = "Saab" then 
          response.write("selected") 
      end if %>
      >Saab</option>
  <option value="Mercedes" 
      <%
      if request.form("cars") = "Mercedes" then 
          response.write("selected") 
      end if %>
      >Mercedes</option>
  <option value="Audi" <%
      if request.form("cars") = "Audi" then 
          response.write("selected") 
      end if %>
      >Audi</option>
</select>

Of course, you might want to homegrown your own function to avoid all that boilerplate.

<% 
sub option(value, data, select_id) 
    Response.Write("<option value=""" & value & """)
    if request.form(select_id) = value then 
        Response.Write("selected") 
    end if
    Response.Write(">" & data & "</option>")
end sub
%>
' (...)
<select id="cars">
    <% option("volvo", "Volvo", "cars") %>
    <% option("Saab", "Saab", "cars") %>
    <% option("Mercedes", "Mercedes", "cars") %>
    <% option("Audi", "Audi", "cars") %>
</select>

If you pass the function a blank select_id, it will not care about trying to select the selected item of the select on postback.