How to convert unordered list into nicely styled <select> dropdown using jquery? (ok)

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1897129/how-to-convert-unordered-list-into-nicely-styled-select-dropdown-using-jquery

How to convert unordered list into nicely styled <select> dropdown using jquery?

Ask QuestionAsked 10 years, 6 months agoActive 3 years, 3 months agoViewed 44k times1817

How do I convert an unordered list in this format

<ul class="selectdropdown">
    <li><a href="one.html" target="_blank">one</a></li>
    <li><a href="two.html" target="_blank">two</a></li>
    <li><a href="three.html" target="_blank">three</a></li>
    <li><a href="four.html" target="_blank">four</a></li>
    <li><a href="five.html" target="_blank">five</a></li>
    <li><a href="six.html" target="_blank">six</a></li>
    <li><a href="seven.html" target="_blank">seven</a></li>
</ul>

into a dropdown in this format

<select>
    <option value="one.html" target="_blank">one</option>
    <option value="two.html" target="_blank">two</option>
    <option value="three.html" target="_blank">three</option>
    <option value="four.html" target="_blank">four</option>
    <option value="five.html" target="_blank">five</option>
    <option value="six.html" target="_blank">six</option>
    <option value="seven.html" target="_blank">seven</option>
</select>

using jQuery?

add a comment

5 Answers

ActiveOldestVotes15

$('ul.selectdropdown').each(function() {
    var select = $(document.createElement('select')).insertBefore($(this).hide());
    $('>li a', this).each(function() {
        var a = $(this).click(function() {
            if ($(this).attr('target')==='_blank') {
                window.open(this.href);
            }
            else {
                window.location.href = this.href;
            }
        }),
        option = $(document.createElement('option')).appendTo(select).val(this.href).html($(this).html()).click(function() {
            a.click();
        });
    });
});

In reply to your last comment, I modified it a little bit but haven't tested it. Let me know.

$('ul.selectdropdown').each(function() {
    var list = $(this), select = $(document.createElement('select')).insertBefore($(this).hide());

    $('>li a', this).each(function() {
        var target = $(this).attr('target'),
        option = $(document.createElement('option'))
            .appendTo(select)
            .val(this.href)
            .html($(this).html())
            .click(function(){
                if(target==='_blank') {
                    window.open($(this).val());
                }
                else {
                    window.location.href = $(this).val();
                }
            });
    });
    list.remove();
});

show 4 more comments21

$(function() {
    $('ul.selectdropdown').each(function() {
        var $select = $('<select />');

        $(this).find('a').each(function() {
            var $option = $('<option />');
            $option.attr('value', $(this).attr('href')).html($(this).html());
            $select.append($option);
        });

        $(this).replaceWith($select);
    });
});

EDIT

As with any jQuery code you want to run on page load, you have to wrap it inside $(document).ready(function() { ... }); block, or inside it's shorter version $(function() { ... });. I updated the function to show this.

EDIT

show 1 more comment2

This solution is working also in IE and working with selected item (in anchor tag).

$('ul.selectdropdown').each(function(){
var list=$(this),
    select=$(document.createElement('select')).insertBefore($(this).hide()).change(function(){
  window.location.href=$(this).val();
});
$('>li a', this).each(function(){
  var option=$(document.createElement('option'))
   .appendTo(select)
   .val(this.href)
   .html($(this).html());
  if($(this).attr('class') === 'selected'){
    option.attr('selected','selected');
  }
});
list.remove();
});

add a comment0

Thank you all for posting the codes. My scenario is similar but my situation is for Responsiveness that for x-size it would switch to a dropdown list, then if not x-size, using csswatch to check for the "display" properties of an element that has certain amount of width set to it (eg: 740px). Thought I share this solution for anyone who is interested. This is what I have combined with Tatu' codes. Instead of replacing the html, I created then hide the new html then only add them when necessary:

var $list = $('ul.list');
(listFunc = function(display){

    //Less than x-size turns it into a dropdown list
    if(display == 'block'){
        $list.hide();
        if($('.sels').length){
            $('.sels').show();
        } else {
            var $select = $('<select class="sels" />');

            $list.find('a').each(function() {
                var $option = $('<option />');
                $option.attr('value', $(this).attr('href')).html($(this).html());
                $select.append($option);
            });

            $select.insertAfter($list);

            $('.sels').on('change', function(){
                window.location = this.value;
            });
        }
    } else {
        $('.sels').hide();
        $list.show();
    }
})(element.css('display'));
element.csswatch({
    props: 'display'
}).on('css-change', function (event, change) {
    return listFunc(change.display);
});

I have recently created a solution where the ul transformed, mimics nearly completely the select.

It has in adition a search for the options of the select and supports the active state. Just add a class with name active and that option will be selected.

It handles the keyboard navigation.

Take a look at the code here: GitHub Code

And a live example here: Code Example

The unordered list must be in the form:

<ul id="...">
  <li><a href="...">...</a></li>
  <li><a href="...">...</a></li>
  <li><a class="active" href="...">...</a></li>
  ...
</ul>

To convert the ul to select just call:

$(window).on("load resize", function() {
  ulToSelect($("ul#id"), 767);
});
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