[thelist] Multiple Selects in asp / javascript.
Peter Brunone (EasyListBox.com)
peter at easylistbox.com
Wed Aug 25 14:13:59 CDT 2004
Ron has a point. Now, this is going to sound like a shameless
plug -- call it that if you want -- but the behavior you're describing
seems well-suited to either parent/child lists or a multi-select combo
box kind of approach (where, incidentally, you don't have to remember to
hold the CTRL key down).
Some examples (this is an ASP.NET control, so it may or may not be a
possibility for you):
A better multiple select with helper controls:
http://easylistbox.com/demoFilter.aspx
Parent/child lists:
http://easylistbox.com/demoDependent.aspx
If you want to roll your own dependent lists, you can find some
help at http://easylistbox.com/listBoxResources.aspx . The articles
there are mostly for old-school ASP, but the client-side principles
remain the same.
Cheers,
Peter
-----Original Message-----
From: thelist-bounces at lists.evolt.org On Behalf Of Luther, Ron
Mark Ormerod asked:
>>Firstly - hi - I'm new on the list :)
>>Ok my problem is this - I have a series of several hundred records
>>which I need to display in a <select> list.
Hi Mark!
Welcome. ;-)
I think you've gotten a few answers back on how to do this technically.
Let me offer a bit of a contrarian view from a different perspective.
Putting several hundred (or several thousand) values in a select list
might not be a very 'friendly' design from a usability point of view.
If the users are only going to be selecting one value ... then an input
box where they type that value in might be 'better' from an ease of use
point of view.
If the users are going to be selecting multiple values (particularly
non-contiguous multiple values) ... then you can talk to the users to
see if there are 'categories' of values that you can let them select
from instead; e.g. product lines instead of skus or sales regions
instead of indivisual customers.
[Try selecting 25 non-contiguous values from a drop-down of 600-800 and
see how much 'fun' it is! ;-) (Oh crap. Did I remember to hold down
the Control key on that last selection?) The users may end up putting
pins in their 'application developer' voodoo dolls.]
You can also use multiple pages and/or multiple controls to allow users
to "step through" levels of specificity from the general to the
specific.
(Instead of a list of all of your stores worldwide you could have them
select a region, then a country, then an area within the country [e.g.
'East Coast'], then give them a drop down showing only stores matching
those values.)
Yep - there *is* a trade-off between number of 'clicks' and application
size and speed. But those are some of the things you need to think
about and discuss with the client. It's not enough to be accurate.
Your app has to be easy to work with as well.
RonL.
(Who has spent waaaay too much time talking clients out of "Lets add
a drop down containing the id number of every customer we've ever sold
anything to in the last 25 years!" kinds of controls.)
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