{{APIRef("HTML DOM")}}
The HTMLSelectElement
interface represents a {{HTMLElement("select")}} HTML Element. These elements also share all of the properties and methods of other HTML elements via the {{domxref("HTMLElement")}} interface.
Properties
This interface inherits the properties of {{domxref("HTMLElement")}}, and of {{domxref("Element")}} and {{domxref("Node")}}.
- {{domxref("HTMLSelectElement.autofocus")}}
- Is a {{jsxref("Boolean")}} that reflects the {{htmlattrxref("autofocus", "select")}} HTML attribute, which indicates whether the control should have input focus when the page loads, unless the user overrides it, for example by typing in a different control. Only one form-associated element in a document can have this attribute specified. {{gecko_minversion_inline("2.0")}}
- {{domxref("HTMLSelectElement.disabled")}}
- Is a {{jsxref("Boolean")}} that reflects the {{htmlattrxref("disabled", "select")}} HTML attribute, which indicates whether the control is disabled. If it is disabled, it does not accept clicks.
- {{domxref("HTMLSelectElement.form")}} {{readonlyInline}}
- Returns a {{domxref("HTMLFormElement")}} representing the form that this element is associated with. If the element is not associated with of a {{HTMLElement("form")}} element, then it returns
null
. - {{domxref("HTMLSelectElement.labels")}} {{readonlyInline}}
- Returns a {{domxref("NodeList")}} containing the list of label elements associated with this select element.
- {{domxref("HTMLSelectElement.length")}}
- Is an
unsigned long
representing the number of {{HTMLElement("option")}} elements in thisselect
element. - {{domxref("HTMLSelectElement.multiple")}}
- Is a {{jsxref("Boolean")}} that reflects the {{htmlattrxref("multiple", "select")}} HTML attribute, which indicates whether multiple items can be selected.
- {{domxref("HTMLSelectElement.name")}}
- Is a {{domxref("DOMString")}} that reflects the {{htmlattrxref("name", "select")}} HTML attribute, containing the name of this control used by servers and DOM search functions.
- {{domxref("HTMLSelectElement.options")}} {{readonlyInline}}
- Returns a {{domxref("HTMLOptionsCollection")}} containing the set of {{HTMLElement("option")}} elements contained by this element.
- {{domxref("HTMLSelectElement.required")}}
- Is a {{jsxref("Boolean")}} that reflects the {{htmlattrxref("required", "select")}} HTML attribute, which indicates whether the user is required to select a value before submitting the form. {{gecko_minversion_inline("2.0")}}
- {{domxref("HTMLSelectElement.selectedIndex")}}
- Is a
long
that reflects the index of the first selected {{HTMLElement("option")}} element. The value-1
indicates no element is selected. - {{domxref("HTMLSelectElement.selectedOptions")}} {{readonlyInline}}
- Returns a live {{domxref("HTMLCollection")}} containing the set of options that are selected.
- {{domxref("HTMLSelectElement.size")}}
- Is a
long
that reflects the {{htmlattrxref("size", "select")}} HTML attribute, which contains the number of visible items in the control. The default is 1, unlessmultiple
is true, in which case it is 4. - {{domxref("HTMLSelectElement.type")}} {{readonlyInline}}
- Returns a {{domxref("DOMString")}} the form control's type. When
multiple
istrue
, it returns"select-multiple"
; otherwise, it returns"select-one"
. - {{domxref("HTMLSelectElement.validationMessage")}} {{readonlyInline}}
- Returns a {{domxref("DOMString")}} containing a localized message that describes the validation constraints that the control does not satisfy (if any). This attribute is the empty string if the control is not a candidate for constraint validation (
willValidate
is false), or it satisfies its constraints. - {{domxref("HTMLSelectElement.validity")}} {{readonlyInline}}
- Returns a {{domxref("ValidityState")}} representing the validity state that this control is in.
- {{domxref("HTMLSelectElement.value")}}
- Is a {{domxref("DOMString")}} with the value of this form control, that is, of the first selected option.
- {{domxref("HTMLSelectElement.willValidate")}}{{readonlyInline}}
- Is a {{jsxref("Boolean")}} that indicates whether the button is a candidate for constraint validation. It is false if any conditions bar it from constraint validation.
Methods
This interface inherits the methods of {{domxref("HTMLElement")}}, and of {{domxref("Element")}} and {{domxref("Node")}}.
- {{domxref("HTMLSelectElement.add()")}}
- Adds an element to the collection of
option
elements for thisselect
element. - {{domxref("HTMLElement.blur", "HTMLSelectElement.blur()")}} {{obsolete_inline}}
- Removes input focus from this element. This method is now implemented on {{domxref("HTMLElement")}}.
- {{domxref("HTMLSelectElement.checkValidity()")}}
- Checks whether the element has any constraints and whether it satisfies them. If the element fails its constraints, the browser fires a cancelable {{event("invalid")}} event at the element (and returns
false
). - {{domxref("HTMLElement.focus", "HTMLSelectElement.focus()")}} {{obsolete_inline}}
- Gives input focus to this element. This method is now implemented on {{domxref("HTMLElement")}}.
- {{domxref("HTMLSelectElement.item()")}}
- Gets an item from the options collection for this {{HTMLElement("select")}} element. You can also access an item by specifying the index in array-style brackets or parentheses, without calling this method explicitly.
- {{domxref("HTMLSelectElement.namedItem()")}}
- Gets the item in the options collection with the specified name. The name string can match either the
id
or thename
attribute of an option node. You can also access an item by specifying the name in array-style brackets or parentheses, without calling this method explicitly. - {{domxref("HTMLSelectElement.remove()")}}
- Removes the element at the specified index from the options collection for this select element.
- {{domxref("HTMLSelectElement.setCustomValidity()")}}
- Sets the custom validity message for the selection element to the specified message. Use the empty string to indicate that the element does not have a custom validity error.
Example
Get information about the selected option
/* assuming we have the following HTML <select id='s'> <option>First</option> <option selected>Second</option> <option>Third</option> </select> */ var select = document.getElementById('s'); // return the index of the selected option console.log(select.selectedIndex); // 1 // return the value of the selected option console.log(select.options[select.selectedIndex].value) // Second
Specifications
Specification | Status | Comment |
---|---|---|
{{SpecName('HTML WHATWG', '#htmlselectelement', 'HTMLSelectElement')}} | {{Spec2('HTML WHATWG')}} | Since the latest snapshot, {{SpecName('HTML5 W3C')}}, it adds the autocomplete property and the reportValidity() method. |
{{SpecName('HTML5 W3C', 'forms.html#htmlselectelement', 'HTMLSelectElement')}} | {{Spec2('HTML5 W3C')}} | Is a snapshot of {{SpecName("HTML WHATWG")}}. It adds the autofocus , form , required , labels , selectedOptions , willValidate , validity and validationMessage properties.The tabindex property and the blur() and focus() methods have been moved to {{domxref("HTMLElement")}}.The methods item() , namedItem() , checkValidity() and setCustomValidity() . |
{{SpecName('DOM2 HTML', 'html.html#ID-94282980', 'HTMLSelectElement')}} | {{Spec2('DOM2 HTML')}} | options now returns an {{domxref("HTMLOptionsCollection")}}.length now returns an unsigned long . |
{{SpecName('DOM1', 'level-one-html.html#ID-94282980', 'HTMLSelectElement')}} | {{Spec2('DOM1')}} | Initial definition. |
Browser compatibility
{{CompatibilityTable}}
Feature | Chrome | Edge | Firefox (Gecko) | Internet Explorer | Opera | Safari (WebKit) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Basic support | 1.0 | {{CompatVersionUnknown}} | {{CompatGeckoDesktop(1.0)}} | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
item() and namedItem() |
{{CompatVersionUnknown}} | {{CompatUnknown}} | {{CompatGeckoDesktop(2.0)}} | {{CompatUnknown}} | {{CompatVersionUnknown}} | {{CompatVersionUnknown}} |
setCustomValidity() , checkValidity() , willValidate , validationMessage , validity |
{{CompatVersionUnknown}} | {{CompatUnknown}} | {{CompatGeckoDesktop(2.0)}} | {{CompatUnknown}} | {{CompatVersionUnknown}} | {{CompatUnknown}} |
selectedOptions |
{{CompatVersionUnknown}} | {{CompatVersionUnknown}} | {{CompatGeckoDesktop(26)}} | {{CompatNo}} | {{CompatVersionUnknown}} | {{CompatVersionUnknown}} |
labels |
{{CompatVersionUnknown}} | {{CompatUnknown}} | {{CompatNo}}[1] | {{CompatUnknown}} | {{CompatVersionUnknown}} | {{CompatVersionUnknown}} |
Feature | Android | Chrome | Firefox Mobile (Gecko) | Firefox OS | IE Phone | Opera Mobile | Safari Mobile |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Basic support | 1.0 | 1.0 | {{CompatGeckoMobile(1)}} | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
item() and namedItem() |
{{CompatUnknown}} | {{CompatUnknown}} | {{CompatGeckoMobile(2.0)}} | 1.0 | {{CompatUnknown}} | {{CompatUnknown}} | {{CompatVersionUnknown}} |
setCustomValidity() , checkValidity() , willValidate , validationMessage , validity |
{{CompatUnknown}} | {{CompatUnknown}} | {{CompatGeckoMobile(2.0)}} | 1.0 | {{CompatUnknown}} | {{CompatUnknown}} | {{CompatUnknown}} |
selectedOptions |
{{CompatUnknown}} | {{CompatUnknown}} | {{CompatGeckoMobile(26)}} | 1.2 | {{CompatUnknown}} | {{CompatUnknown}} | {{CompatVersionUnknown}} |
labels |
{{CompatUnknown}} | {{CompatUnknown}} | {{CompatNo}}[1] | {{CompatNo}}[1] | {{CompatUnknown}} | {{CompatUnknown}} | {{CompatVersionUnknown}} |
[1] See {{bug("556743")}}.
See also
- The {{HTMLElement("select")}} HTML element, implementing this interface.