When working with HTML forms, the select element provides a convenient way to present users with a list of options to choose from. However, what about cases when you need to have both a dropdown select menu and an input field for custom data entry in your form? In this article, we'll explore how you can create a select dropdown with an input field duplicate in HTML.
To achieve this functionality, we can combine the select element with a regular input field. This combination allows users to either select an option from the dropdown list or manually input a value. Here's how you can implement this feature in your HTML form:
<div>
Option 1
Option 2
Option 3
Custom
</div>
In the above code snippet, we have a select dropdown with four options: Option 1, Option 2, Option 3, and Custom. The last option, Custom, allows users to input a custom value. Additionally, we have an input field with a display set to none initially. This ensures that the custom input field is hidden until the user chooses the Custom option from the dropdown.
To make the custom input field appear when the Custom option is selected, we need to add some JavaScript code to handle the functionality:
document.getElementById("options").addEventListener("change", function() {
var customInput = document.getElementById("customInput");
if (this.value === "custom") {
customInput.style.display = "block";
customInput.focus();
} else {
customInput.style.display = "none";
customInput.value = "";
}
});
In the JavaScript code above, we're listening for a change event on the select element. When the selection changes, we check if the chosen value is "custom." If it is, we display the custom input field by setting its display style to block and focus on it to allow for immediate user input. If the chosen option is other than "custom," we hide the custom input field and clear its value.
Adding this JavaScript functionality to your HTML page provides users with the flexibility to select predefined options from the dropdown list or enter a custom value when needed.
In conclusion, by combining a select dropdown with an input field duplicate in HTML, you can enhance the user experience of your forms by offering both predefined options and the ability to input custom values. This interactive feature provides users with more flexibility and choice, making your forms more user-friendly and versatile. Start implementing this feature in your projects today to create more engaging and dynamic web forms!