How do I add an option to a dropdown list using jQuery?

Question

I'm trying to use the following code to add an option to a dropdown list in ASP.NET. Any ideas why this doesn't work? I tried Googling but can't figure out why this won't work.

What shoud the code do? I have an ASP.NET dropdown list. I want to access the dropdown list by name and add an item to the list. The item should have descriptive text of "Some Text" and a value of "123".

Thanks!

$("#ddlCategory").append($("<option>Some Text</option>").val(1).html("123"));

$("") is not a valid selector... Please read how to use selector in jquery... — Guillaume Cisco, Nov 03 '11 at 15:10
try this one if you like to use javascript http://chiragrdarji.wordpress.com/2007/06/06/add-items-in-drop-down-list-or-list-box-using-javascript/ — huMpty duMpty, Nov 03 '11 at 15:16
This will not make it get stored in viewstate. Be sure you are not relying on normal postback behavior /viewstate if you do this. If you are, then you should expose a web method instead and call it asynch. — Nikki9696, Nov 03 '11 at 15:32

score 13 · Accepted Answer · edited Nov 19 '14 at 20:05

13

var newOption = "<option value='"+"1"+"'>Some Text</option>"; 
$("#ddlCategory").append(newOption);

edited Nov 19 '14 at 20:05

Bryan Denny

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answered Nov 03 '11 at 15:15

Mark Schultheiss

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This worked. I also changed from using the control ID to using a class name. The selector change did not work by itself. – DenaliHardtail Nov 03 '11 at 15:34

score 9 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:09

9

You can try

$("#ddlCategory").append($("<option value='123'>Some Text</option>");

Or

 $('#ddlCategory').
      append($("<option></option>").
      attr("value", "123").
      text("Some Text"));

2nd code snippet from this question What is the best way to add options to a select from an array with jQuery?

edited May 23 '17 at 12:09

Community

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answered Nov 03 '11 at 15:12

Jason

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i would use `.val(123)` instead of `.attr("value", "123")` – Manuel van Rijn Nov 03 '11 at 15:13

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 03 '11 at 15:14

0

Have you tested that 1) your jquery is correct and works in a flat HTML file and 2) that you are using the correct Id - ASP.NET changes Ids dynamically on elements that runat="server", so you might want to try:

$('#<%=ddlCategory.ClientID%>').append(...etc etc

That will get you the correct Id from the ASP.NET page class.

answered Nov 03 '11 at 15:14

user369142

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Remembered that during debug. I'm now using a class selector instead of id. – DenaliHardtail Nov 03 '11 at 15:24

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Nov 03 '11 at 15:14

0

What if you change it to

$("#ddlCategory").append($("<option></option>").attr("value", "1").text("Some Text"));

answered Nov 03 '11 at 15:14

Milan Jaric

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score 0 · Answer 5 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:25

0

Trying to add options to an ASP.Net dropdown list with client-side code is a bad idea. It introduces all sorts of postback problems. See this link for more details. You should either populate the dropdown completely client side, or trigger a partial postback to fill the list.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:25

Community

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answered Nov 03 '11 at 15:15

arb

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How do I add an option to a dropdown list using jQuery?

5 Answers5

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