how to populate drop down list based on multiple text box entries

[iammund]

hi, i'm having problem on how to auto-populate the drop down list (Wall Assignment) based on the Text box fields (Name). I am using Adobe Acrobat Pro Dc.

The table with Name column is from page 2, while the Wall Assignment drop down, is on page 3.

Whenever the user enters a Name, it will auto-populate the Wall Assignment list.

i saw some post that uses addItems and setItems, but still don't know what to use and where to insert the code. is it on the textbox using keystroke or action javascript, or on the drop down field.

thanks

[Thom Parker]

Here's a tutorial that covers adding and deleting items from a list. And there is an example file.

https://acrobatusers.com/tutorials/list_and_combo_in_lc

[iammund]

hi, i already saw this example and there's no drop down list in the sample pdf form.

do you have a simple code where in I can populate a drop down list after I enter some text in the textbox?

i only know how to populate a text box field using a drop down list. but I don't know how to populate a drop down.

thanks

[Thom Parker]

List and dropdowns are exactly the same programatically. The code in the example will work for your dropdown.

[iammund]

is there a way where I don't need to use a button to populate the combo box?

like when I enter a name on a textbox, it will automatically added to the combo box?

i tried using the setItems method, but i can only add one entry/data to the combo box. i have 6 text box that needs to be added to the combo box.

i'm not good in using array, can an array do this? if yes, how?

thanks in advance

[Thom Parker]

Yes, the text from a text box can be automatically added to a list.

Here's an example of how it can be done. The code below assumes that each text box represents one entry in the dropdown, so if there are 6 text boxes, there will be a maximum of 6 entries in the dropdown

Do this:

1) All text boxes that are list items are prefixed with "LstGrp.", i.e., "LstGrp.Txt1",  "LstGrp.Txt2", "LstGrp.Txt3",etc.

2) Place this code into the "Custom Calculation" script for the dropdown:

var aValues = this.getField("LstGrp").getArray().map(function(a){return a.valueAsString;});

var aList = aValues.filter(function(a){return (a.length > 0);});

event.target.setItems(aList);

Now any values entered into the text boxes will appear as entries in the dropdown.

[iammund]

if I do this

event.target.setItems(" ",aList);

will it insert a blank value on the first line? so that the dropdown will be viewed as blank/clear, until the user click on it.

thanks

[Thom Parker]

No, but you can insert a blank entry into aList

aList.unshift(" ");

event.target.setItems(aList);

[try67]

No, setItems only takes one parameter.

You can do it like this:

aList.unshift(" ");

event.target.setItems(aList);

Or even:

event.target.setItems([" "].concat(aList));

[iammund]

the text were added to the dropdown list, however, whenever I select an item to the dropdown list, nothing is selected. only blank is selected.

when i used the first code:

//populate dropdown based on multiple textbox

var aValues = this.getField("LstGrp").getArray().map(function(a){return a.valueAsString;});

var aList = aValues.filter(function(a){return (a.length > 0);});

event.target.setItems(aList);

only the first item is selected.

is there something missing?

[Bernd Alheit]

Where does you use the code?

[iammund]

code is used to populate the dropdown list, based on several textbox entries

see the image above

[Bernd Alheit]

Where is the image with the code?

[iammund]

the code is inserted to the dropdown as suggested

[Thom Parker]

You've said multiple things in your post.

"nothing is selected"  , "only blank is selected", "only the first item is selected"

The "setItems()" function uses the first item in the list as the selection. The code is doing exactly what it is supposed too.

If you want something else, then the value of the list must be set with another line of code.

[iammund]

sorry for the confusion.

after it populate the dropdown list, user should be able to choose one among the items in the dropdown list.

i didn't know that it won't allow to select other items aside from the first item in the list.

[iammund]

what should i add to the line of code so that all the items in the dropdown list will be selectable? thanks

[Thom Parker · Accepted solution]

All items in the dropdown are selectable. That is not the problem.

The issue is that this script is a calculation. The script is run anytime any field on the form changes.

There are 3 solutions:

1)  Change the script to a validation script on the "LstGrp" text fields

2)  Qualify the calculation by testing the source of the event. In this case it should be one of the "LstGrp" fields

3)  (poor solution) Save the value of the list before changing the list items, then set it.

I think #2 is the best one since it blocks unnecessary updates and only changes code in one location.

Put the code in this if statement

if(/^LstGrp/.test(event.source.name))

{

    .. The script...

}

[iammund]

if(/^LstGrp/.test(event.source.name))

{

//populate dropdown based on multiple textbox

var aValues = this.getField("LstGrp").getArray().map(function(a){return a.valueAsString;});

var aList = aValues.filter(function(a){return (a.length > 0);});

aList.unshift(" ");

event.target.setItems(aList);

}

code works perfectly. thank you.

one last question:

i have 10 dropdowns and it name like this ddDistributionSystemLocation.1 up to ddDistributionSystemLocation.10.

how can I make them readonly = true using array or loop to make the code shorter instead of using this line of codes:

this.getField("ddDistributionSystemLocation.1").readonly = true;

up to

this.getField("ddDistributionSystemLocation.10").readonly = true;

thanks

[Thom Parker]

Just use the group name. It will set the value for all fields in the group.

this.getField("ddDistributionSystemLocation").readonly = true;

this technique only works for some parameters.

[iammund]

thanks. appreciate all the help

[iammund]

how will I reset the dropdown to blank, when I reset the whole form?

the last entered values still appear to the dropdown list.

i tried adding the code

this.getField("ddWindowsWallAssignment").setItems(" ");

to the reset button

but it won't still remove the list from the dropdown list

thanks

[try67]

Use the clearItems method, like this:

this.getField("ddWindowsWallAssignment").clearItems();

[iammund]

i also tried that one. it doesn't clear the list

it will only clear the textbox, but the last entered value still appear on the dropdown list

[try67]

Then there is an error in your code.