You can use a drop-down list to show Manager Users options for a TV value, but what if you want to show those options in a form in the front end instead? The simplest way to do this is with a regular text TV and a simple snippet to generate the drop-down list HTML for the front end.
This technique is useful if you want to let the Manager users enter the options as a comma-separated list in the TV and show those options as a drop-down list in a front-end form.
Create a TV called DropdownOptions. The default options should be fine, although you may want to create a default value (e.g., red,blue,green or @INHERIT).
Create a snippet called “ShowDropdown” with this code:
[code language=”php”]
<?php
/* ShowDropdown snippet */
$items = $modx->getOption(‘items’, $scriptProperties, ‘No Options To Show’);
$multiple = $modx->getOption(‘multiple’, $scriptProperties, false);
/* Set the Tpl to use for each option */
$tpl = ‘ <option value="[[+item]]">[[+item]]</option>’;
/* Convert the comma-separated items to an array */
$items = explode(‘,’, $scriptProperties[‘items’]);
/* See if we’re creating a multi-select list */
if ($multiple) {
$output = ‘<select multiple="multiple">’;
} else {
$output = ‘<select>’;
}
/* Create the inner HTML */
foreach ($items as $item) {
$output .= "\n" . str_replace(‘[[+item]]’, trim($item), $tpl);
}
/* add the closing tag */
$output .= "\n</select>";
/* return the finished HTML */
return $output;
[/code]
Where you want to show the drop-down HTML code, use this tag:
[code]
[[ShowDropdown? &items=`[[*DropdownOptions]]` &multiple=`0`]]
[/code]
MODX will send the comma-separated list stored in the TV as a property to the snippet, which will parse it and return the HTML for your list. If you want a multi-select list, change the &multiple property value to 1.
With some minor changes, this technique could be used to produce radio options, checkboxes, or a list (ordered or unordered).
For more information on how to use MODX to create a web site, see my web site Bob’s Guides, or better yet, buy my book: MODX: The Official Guide.
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