Thread: Forms - Combobox with multiple selections

Hi

I have 2 "contact_us" pages using Comboboxes with single selections, which work OK. They were made using ABVFP.

I tried to build another similar page but using Comboboxes allowing multiple selections. For some reason, they do not work.

To find out what was wrong, I edited one of my proven BV pages, inserting 2 additional sets of Comboxes. I checked the option "Allow multiple selections" in one set and left this option unchecked in the other one. Other than that, both sets are exactly the same (in fact, the 2nd set is a copy of the first one).

In Preview, the Comboboxes for single selection work OK, as usual, letting me select one of the several options of each one.

The Comboboxes with multiple selections, however ...
a) are displayed without the down arrow,
b) when clicked ON, the background color changes, looking as highlighted, but
c) nothing else happens.

Clicking later on the other checked comboboxes, they changes color also and all stay highlighted at the same time.

Just in case, both sets are within the Form area and each combobox has a different name. Also, I am using the last BV11 version, downloaded today.

Should I do something additional to just checking the "Allow Multiple Selections" in the Combobox Properties?
Please help me.

To allow multiple selections, you need to add [] (square brackets) at the field name.

Example:
field name : hobbies[]

No whitespaces or symbols allowed.

Originally Posted by navaldesign

To allow multiple selections, you need to add [] (square brackets) at the field name.

Example:
field name : hobbies[]

No whitespaces or symbols allowed.

Hello Naval:

I am not sure what you mean. I did not find "field name:" in Combobox Properties.

I played adding the square brackets [] either to the name of the box and to the name og the items, several combinations, but none worked. Also, I tried Listbox instead of Comobobox, with same result.

Please refer to the following page, which illustrates the problem and show the fields that I can access to, within Combobox Properties:

http://www.alfil-sa.com/combobox_test_01.php

Please advise how to properly fill the fields for both the box and its items to get multiple selections work OK.

Thanks in advance

When I say "field name" I mean the "name" of the combobox.

All controls of a form are "fields": editboxes, text areas, radios, etc.
Therefore each one has its own "name" (in your case, "boys_1" and "boys_2"

The second one, being a multiple selection, should be "boys_2[]"

Also, unless you stretch the listbox to make it several lines high, it is advisable to use a combobox instead of a listbox. Functionality is the same, but a single line listbox becomes difficult for the user to make selections.

What exactly doesn't work ?

Thanks Naval for clarifying the meaning of "field".

The page

http://www.alfil-sa.com/combobox_test_01.php

shows what the problem is and how the Comboboxes were configured.

I hope you can find out what is being done wrong or what setting is missing.

Hi Everybody:

I have just found out that the problem is still worse than I thought. The Combobox for Multiple Selections does NOT work the same way in the different browsers !

The problems I had reported before apply for FF 3.6. Within IE9, Chrome and Opera, the combobox is displayed and operates in different ways, none of them OK.

Please open this page and suggest solutions:
www.alfil-sa.com/combobox_test_02.php

Having Comboboxes with Multiple Selections in the prospective Contact page can save a lot of space there while allowing to collect more information. I would hate not to be able to take advantage of them.

I'm afraid that there is no standard solution as each browser behaves differently.
Please note that when "Allow multiple selections" is selected, all browsers will display as listbox, however, if you don't stretch it in heigh to allow at least 2 lines (selections) visible, you will have displaying issues.

In FF the arrow is missing, but you can scroll with the scolling wheel to make selections. If you change the combobox to listbox, it will be fine. This is a FF issue.
Functionality (that is, being able to make multiple selections) is fine.

In IE 9 all displays fine, although the arrows (up and down) are quite small due to size. Functionality is fine.

In Chrome, the combobox is displayed as multiple lines listbox. This is a Chrome limitation. Functionality is fine.

I don't have Opera installed so I can't say how it appears in it.