set value to jquery autocomplete combobox

Question

I am using jquery autocomplete combobox and everything is ok. But I also want to set specific value through JavaScript like $("#value").val("somevalue") and it set to select element, but no changes in input element with autocomplete.

Of course, I can select this input and set value directly, but is it some other ways to do that? I try set bind to this.element like this.element.bind("change", function(){alert(1)}) but it was no effects. And I don't know why.

Edit

I found a workaround for this case. But I don't like it. I have added the following code to _create function for ui.combobox

this.element.bind("change", function() {  
    input.val( $(select).find("option:selected").text());  
});

And when I need to change the value I can use $("#selector").val("specificvalue").trigger("change");

Solution 1

Is this demo what you are looking for?

The link sets the value of the jQuery UI autocomplete to Java. The focus is left on the input so that the normal keyboard events can be used to navigate the options.

Edit: How about adding another function to the combobox like this:

autocomplete : function(value) {
    this.element.val(value);
    this.input.val(value);
}

and calling it with the value you want to set:

$('#combobox').combobox('autocomplete', 'Java'); 

Updated demo

I cannot find any available existing function to do what you want, but this seems to work nicely for me. Hope it is closer to the behaviour you require.

Solution 2

I managed a quick and dirty way of setting the value. But, you do need to know both the value and the text of the item that you want to display on the dropdown.

var myValue = foo; // value that you want selected
var myText = bar; // text that you want to display
// You first need to set the value of the (hidden) select list
$('#myCombo').val(myValue);
// ...then you need to set the display text of the actual autocomplete box.
$('#myCombo').siblings('.ui-combobox').find('.ui-autocomplete-input').val(myText);

Solution 3

@andyb, i think rewrite:

    autocomplete: function (value) {
        this.element.val(value);

        var selected = this.element.children(":selected"),
                value = selected.val() ? selected.text() : "";
        this.input.val(value);
    }

Solution 4

I really like what andyb did, but I needed it to do a little more around event handling to be able to handle triggering the a change event because "selected" doesn't handle when hitting enter or losing focus on the input (hitting tab or mouse click).

As such, using what andyb did as a base as well as the latest version of the jQuery Autocomplete script, I created the following solution: DEMO

• Enter: Chooses the first item if menu is visible
• Focus Lost: Partial match triggers not found message and clears entry (jQuery UI), but fully typed answer "selects" that value (not case sensative)

How Change method can be utlized:

$("#combobox").combobox({
    selected: function (event, ui) {
        $("#output").text("Selected Event >>> " + $("#combobox").val());
    }
})
.change(function (e) {
    $("#output").text("Change Event >>> " + $("#combobox").val());
});

Hopefully this helps others who need additional change event functionality to compensate for gaps that "selected" leaves open.

View more solutions

Comments

[xandox]

:) actually no. i want follow. if i cal $("#select").val("somevalue") ("somevalue" already exists in select options), input(element added with autocomplete) text changes too

[xandox]

Yes. This is right behavior but not complete. You should not forget call $("#combobox").val("Java"). Look at my edit for question. I found workaround. But i should not forget call trigger function, and it's uncomfortably.

[xandox]

:) user763228 look at answer by andyb He makes almost the right thing.

[andyb]

OK, I think I understand. You are looking for a unobtrusive solution. I have added a new demo which might be better.

[xandox]

yeh. This is what i looked for. Thank you wary much.

[nthaih]

var selected = this.element.children(":selected"); value = selected.val() ? selected.text() : ""; // it will get text value of the option which is selected for input value instead of value of the option

[Lothric]

I don't know why, but I only get it worked as $( function () { $('#combobox').combobox('autocomplete', 'Java'); });