Adrian Crum (JIRA) wrote:
Also, a UI pattern I have been using lately is to have the current data select
the correct list element, instead of displaying it twice. Example:
<select name="allowSolicitation">
<#assign allowSolicitation =
(mechMap.partyContactMech.allowSolicitation)?default("N")>
<option value="Y"<#if allowSolitation == "Y">
selected="selected"</#if>>${uiLabelMap.CommonY}</option>
<option value="N"<#if allowSolitation == "N">
selected="selected"</#if>>${uiLabelMap.CommonN}</option>
</select>
Not that this approach is any better, it's just different.
The main reason we have not used this approach in general is that it does not
give as much information to the user. For simple applications it is fine and
cleaner/smaller. For OFBiz we use the other pattern with the current values at
the top and a separator that also default to the current value to err on the
side of clarity and flexibility. The form widget supports both, BTW, and easily
switches between them.
The current value at the top has these benefits:
1. clarity: if another value is selected the user can still click on the
drop-down and look at the top to see what the original value was
2. flexibility: if the current value is not part of the new options then we
can't just select the one in the drop-down; this happens currently in various
OFBiz screens, especially for status drop-downs that show the current status
and all of the possible status transitions (usually there isn't a transition to
go from one status back to itself)
-David
