The select tag, like the checkbox and radio button input tags allows your readers to choose from multiple options. However, because the options are all stored in a drop-down box, they do not take up as much screen real estate as the radio buttons and checkboxes.
The select tag has several attributes, and the closing </select> tag is required.
- name (required) - names the input information
- size - how many items in the list are showing on the screen at once
- multiple - the reader can choose multiple items
The tricky part of the <select> tag is that it needs a second tag to include the elements in the list, the <option> tag.
The option tag has two primary attributes:
- value - if this is not included, the form will send the server whatever follows the option tag (up to the next option tag, or </select> tag) as the value
- selected - if this is not included, the form will display the first element listed as the default selected choice
Here are three types of select lists:
Basic Select List
<select name="1" size="1">
<option>one
<option>two
<option>three
</select>
Basic Multiple Select List
<select name="2" multiple size="1">
<option>one</option>
<option>two</option>
<option>three</option>
</select>
Multiple Select with Multiple Showing
<select name="3" multiple size="2">
<option value="1">one</option>
<option value="1">two</option>
<option value="1">three</option>
<option value="1">four</option>
</select>
I hope this came in useful!
