I am sure this is something simple, but can someone show me how we return the selected value from a HTMLDropDown?

In my Process class I have defined the attribute for the selected variable and I have generated the cursor that populates the list;

Function cdep_2()
	#If .F.
		Local Request As wwrequest, Response As wwpageresponse, Process As wwprocess
	#Endif
	Local lc_SelDept As Character
	Local lc_DeptOut As Character
	Store "001" to lc_SelDept

	If !Request.IsPostBack()
		sele * from myTable into cursor cDept
	endif
	Response.ExpandTemplate()
endfunc

In my HTML file which is a WC content template page, (for arguments sake called cDep_2.wcx) I have the following;

<% 	
	* VS Addin Comment: SourceFile="~\..\deploy\cdeprocess.PRG"
	pcPageTitle = "cdep_2" 	
%>
<% Layout="/views/_cdep_layoutpage.wcs" %>

         <div id="xLeft" style="float:left; width:25%; background-color:cornsilk;">

             <%= HtmlDropDown("lstDept",
                             "lc_SelDept",
                             "cDept",
                             "alltrim(code)",
                             "alltrim(attribute_)",
                             "",
                             "--- Select a Department")
             %> 

		</div>
<!-- remove sections if you're not using them -->
<% section="headers" %>
<% endsection %>

<% section="scripts" %>
<% endsection %>

I believe I have populated everything correctly:

• [1] Name of the dropdown list in the rendered code is "lstDept"
• [2] the selected value goes to the variable lc_SelDept
• [3] data to populate the list comes from the cursor cDept
• [4] the attribute in the file to get the 'value' for/from the list is the variable "code"
• [5] the text to populate the dropdown list comes from the field 'attribute_'
• [6] no other html required
• [7] the text first seen in the list is "--- Select a Department"

The dropdown renders perfectly, but, how do I pull the selected values specified when the user selects from the drop down list? I thought it might be in the lc_selDept variable but it appears not to change.

I've tried display it simply as;

The selected value is:
<br/>
  <%= lc_SelDept %>
<br/>

but I get a message that this renders an error.

Can someone help in letting me know how to pull the value from the selected list?

thx Serge

First you need to make sure that the drop down is inside of a <form> tag that submits the form to the server (or an AJAX request which will be different):

<form action="">
   <%= HtmlDropDown(...)


   <button type="submit">Send</button>
</form>

Use an empty action="" to post back to the same page you came from, otherwise give it a new URL.

You also need a button to submit the form although you can add an AutoPostback="true" to the control to force it to submit. You may still need a button (invisible if necessary) to submit the form reliably in all browsers.

Assuming this is a form post to capture the value then:

lcSelVal = Request.Form("lstDept")

+++ Rick ---

Hi Rick,

Everything works as planned - thank you very much! Once I saw how data was being returned from the form to the server it was academic ~ the framework worked flawlessly! I have been working with how data is moved back and forth and I have a question regarding the scope visibility of variables. For example in my example from before I've been able to trap a number of different form elements and capturing their input values as you had outlined.

My question becomes primarily one of SCOPE and secondarily a question regarding using Method="GET" vs. Method="POST" in the HTML form element.

1st question: In the FoxPro code, I added a little updater to the page which tells me of the postback, and the counter. Oddly enough everything here works except the iCnter variable (defined as public). All the HTMLDropDown list variables created and their return values are returned and processed perfectly. The iCnter variable presents properly when the page is first shown (not postback()) but following this on postback it does not increment and throws an error as not being defined.

2nd Question: If I was to use Method="GET" the return data populates in the URL and it appears that I should be able to process it through (Request.QueryString(..whatever..)). Would this be the case? When I do use Method="GET" however, the page actually does not appear to toggle the postback() as one would expect. Can you provide some insight around this.

In my foxpro code I trap the request form using 'lcReadValue=(request.form())' enabling to capture the entire set of attributes and values found in the form element on the HTML page. The nItems block only executes if I read in data from the 'request.form())' stub.

The foxpro code is shown below, followed by the HTML.

	Function cdep_2()
		#If .F.
			Local Request As wwrequest, Response As wwpageresponse, Process As wwprocess
		#Endif

	        PRIVATE iCnter as Integer
		Local rPos As Integer, iStartValue As Integer, cWhichMethod as Character, isGoodGet as Boolean  
		STORE "" TO cWhichMethod
		
		Store 1 To rPos, iStartValue

		lc_pk = This.decode(Request.querystring("Shtoh"))
		lcReadValue= (Request.Form())
		nItems = Occurs("&",lcReadValue)

		If !Request.IsPostBack()
			Store "Not Postback" To sgaMessageCheck
			Store Int(Val(lc_pk)) To iPK
			If iPK=0 .Or. Empty(lc_pk)
				c_PKID = Session.getsessionvar("sgaPK")
				If Empty(c_PKID)
					Store 0 To iiPK
				Else
					iiPK = Int(Val(c_PKID))
				Endif
			Endif
			iPK = Iif(iPK >= 1, iPK, Iif(iiPK >=1, iiPK, 0))

			If iPK > 0
				ologin=Createobject("sgalogin")
				isGoodGet = ologin.Load(iPK)
				If isGoodGet
					lc_uCrs = Alltrim(ologin.oData.usr_direct)
					lc_pk = Transform(ologin.oData.pk)
					Session.setsessionvar("sgaPK",lc_pk)
					Session.setsessionvar("sgaCrs",lc_uCrs)
					txt_cpk = This.encode(Transform(iPK))
				Endif
			Else
				=Response.redirect([sgaLogin.c1?Shtoh=] + This.encode(lc_pk) )
			Endif
			iCnter = 1
		Else
			Store "Is a Postback" To sgaMessageCheck
			lc_uCrs = Session.getsessionvar("sgaCrs")
			lc_pk = Session.getsessionvar("sgaPK")
			iCnter=iCnter+1
		Endif

		If nItems >=1
			Dimension aReadItemsArray(nItems), cTrimVar(nItems+1), cActualVar(nItems+1), cActualVal(nItems+1), iStartPos(nItems+1), iEndPos(nItems+1)
			For j=1 To nItems
				aReadItemsArray(j)=At("&",lcReadValue,j)
			Endfor

			For j=1 To nItems+1
				Do Case
					Case j=1
						iStartPos(j)=1
						iEndPos(j)=aReadItemsArray(j)
					Case j <= nItems
						iStartPos(j)=aReadItemsArray(j-1)+1
						iEndPos(j)=aReadItemsArray(j)
					Case j = nItems+1
						iStartPos(j)=aReadItemsArray(j-1)+1
						iEndPos(j)=Len(lcReadValue)+1
				Endcase
			Endfor

			For j=1 To nItems+1
				cTrimVar(j)=Substr(lcReadValue,iStartPos(j),iEndPos(j)-iStartPos(j))
			Endfor

			For j=1 To nItems+1
				rPos = At("=",cTrimVar(j))
				cActualVar(j) = Substr(cTrimVar(j),1,rPos-1)
				If rPos = Len(cTrimVar(j))
					cActualVal(j)=""
				Else
					cActualVal(j) = Substr(cTrimVar(j),rPos+1,Len(cTrimVar(j)))
				Endif

				Do Case
					Case cActualVar(j)="lstDept"
						Store cActualVal(j) To lcSelectedDepartment
					Case cActualVar(j)="lstClass"
						Store cActualVal(j) To lcSelectedClass
					Case cActualVar(j)="lstMFG"
						Store cActualVal(j) To lcSelectedMFG
					Case cActualVar(j)="lstStores"
						Store cActualVal(j) To lcSelectedStores
					Case cActualVar(j)="lstProdID"
						Store cActualVal(j) To lcSelectedProdID
					Case cActualVar(j)="lstProdType"
						Store cActualVal(j) To lcSelectedProdType
				Endcase
			Endfor
		Endif

		If isGoodGet
			Store "Yes" To sga_GetResult
		Else
			Store "No" To sga_GetResult
		Endif

		Response.ExpandTemplate()
	Endfunc

Here's the HTML. Note that the counter variable iCnter I dropped in works on initialization then throws an error upon any postback() page

<% 	
	* VS Addin Comment: SourceFile="~\..\deploy\cdeprocess.PRG"
	pcPageTitle = "cdep_2" 	
%>
<% Layout="/views/_cdep_layoutpage.wcs" %>

    <% if sga_GetResult="Yes" %>
        <input type="hidden" name="cpk" value="<%= txt_cpk %>" />
    <% endif %>
    <% if sga_GetResult="No" %>
        <input type="hidden" name="cpk" value="0" />
    <% endif %>		
		
	... a bunch of HTML stuff ...
	
       <form action=""  method="POST">
            <div style="float:left; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px;">
                <div id="xLeft" style="float:left; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:2px;">
                    <div id="xLeft2" style="float:left; width:110px;">
                        <i class="fas fa-building" style="color:green"></i>
                        Department:
                    </div>
                    <div id="xLeft3" style="float:left;">
                        <%= HtmlDropDown( "lstDept","lc_SelDept","cDept","alltrim(code)","alltrim(attribute_)","","--- Select a Department","" ) %> 
                    </div>
                    <br />
                </div>
                <div id="xRight" style="float:left; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:2px;">
                    <div id="xLeft4" style="float:left; width:110px;">
                        <i class="fas fa-chess-king" style="color:maroon"></i>
                        Class:
                    </div>
                    <div id="xLeft5" style="float:left;">
                        <%= HtmlDropDown("lstClass","lc_SelClass","cClass","alltrim(code)","alltrim(attribute_)","","--- Select a Class","" ) %> 
                    </div>
                    <br />
                </div>
                <div id="yLeft" style="float:left; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:2px;">
                    <div id="xLeft6" style="float:left; width:110px;">
                        <i class="fas fa-industry" style="color:darkblue"></i>
                        Manufacturer:
                    </div>
                    <div id="xLeft7" style="float:left;">
                        <%= HtmlDropDown("lstMFG","lc_SelMFG","cMFG","alltrim(code)","alltrim(attribute_)","","--- Select a Manufacturer","" ) %> 
                    </div>
                    <br />
                </div>
                <div id="yRight" style="float:left; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:2px;">
                    <div id="xLeft8" style="float:left; width:110px;">
                        <i class="fas fa-shopping-cart" style="color:indigo"></i>
                        Store:
                    </div>
                    <div id="xLeft9" style="float:left;">
                        <%= HtmlDropDown("lstStores","lc_SelStore","cStore","alltrim(code)","alltrim(attribute_)","","--- Select a Store","" ) %> 
                    </div>
                    <br />
                </div>

                <div id="zRight" style="float:left; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:20px;">
                    <div id="xLeft11" style="float:left; width:110px;">
                        <i class="fas fa-scroll" style="color:darkmagenta"></i>
                        Product Type:
                    </div>
                    <div id="xLeft12" style="float:left;">
                        <%= HtmlDropDown("lstProdType","lc_SelPType","cProdCode","alltrim(code)","alltrim(attribute_)","","--- Select Product Type","" ) %> 
                    </div>
                    <br />
                </div>
            </div>
            <div  style="float:left; margin-left:20px; margin-top:10px; width:100px;">
                <button type ="submit" style="width:150px;">Add Parameter</button>
            </div>
        </form>
		
	... more closing HTML stuff ...

    <!-- Dumping the data to be used later in processing  -->
    sgaMessageCheck: <%= sgaMessageCheck %> <br />
    iCnter: <%= iCnter %> <br /><br /><br /> 
    lcSelectedDepartment: <%= lcSelectedDepartment %> <br />
    lcSelectedClass: <%= lcSelectedClass %> <br />
    lcSelectedMFG: <%= lcSelectedMFG %> <br />
    lcSelectedStore: <%= lcSelectedStores %> <br />
    lcReadValue:  <%= lcReadValue %> <br />

</div>

<!-- remove sections if you're not using them -->
<% section="headers" %>

<% endsection %>

<% section="scripts" %>

<% endsection %>

So everything I need to work with presents properly which is most important. However should I need to increment a counter why does iCnter fail. Also can you explain the action around what happens with Method="GET" as opposed to Method="POST" as I had noted...

Naturally I could recall this page with action="cDep_2.c1?" in the form tag I suppose, however, I like the way data was moved from the form to the server the way you had suggested earlier.

Thanks for any help you could provide! Serge

Please try to post more focused questions and don't combine questions that are already ontop of long thread. It's better to start new questions that are focused on the problem at hand.

2nd Question: If I was to use Method="GET" the return data populates in the URL and it appears that I should be able to process it through (Request.QueryString(..whatever..)). Would this be the case? When I do use Method="GET" however, the page actually does not appear to toggle the postback() as one would expect. Can you provide some insight around this.

As the name suggests IsPostBack() checks whether the form is POSTing back, so no if you GET it's not going to work. Nor should you use GET for forms unless the form only sends ID data. GET is not meant for data - it's meant for identification or routing. Data should always go into a POST.

+++ Rick ---