Question

I’m using the code for this combobox.

I thought I would be slick by commenting out this part, which would allow text entry beyond unmatched queries.

/*Commented out to allow user input
if (!valid) {
    remove invalid value, as it didn't match anything
    $(this).val("");
    select.val("");
    input.data("autocomplete").term = "";
    return false;
}*/

The problem I’m running into with my cleverness is that I can’t get this value while validating the form in JS. Any ideas on how I could do this?

Answer 1

So I got around this. I created a hidden variable:

<input id="EnterYourOwnValue" type="hidden" value="Enter New... or Select" />

Then I edited part of the jquery combo to save the value typed into EnterYourOwnValue:

                            if (!valid) {
                                $("#EnterYourOwnValue").val($(this).val());
                                /*Commented out to allow user input
                                //remove invalid value, as it didn't match anything
                                $(this).val("");
                                select.val("");
                                input.data("autocomplete").term = "";
                                return false;
                                */
                            }

OR to saves the selected value into it:

                        select: function (event, ui) {
                            $("#EnterYourOwnValue").val(ui.item.option.value);
                        ui.item.option.selected = true;
                        self._trigger("selected", event, {
                            item: ui.item.option
                        });

Now the autocomplete combobox is hacked to be a select or enter your own value in one box!