How to SELECT a dropdown list item by value programmatically

Question

How to SELECT a drop down list item by value programatically in C#.NET?

are looking for a way to do this using automation (say for testing)? — Steven
– Steven, Commented Aug 8, 2009 at 17:18
No Im just to select the country by value depending the value I have in the DB — David Bonnici
– David Bonnici, Commented Aug 8, 2009 at 17:28
Possible duplicate of Setting dropdownlist selecteditem programmatically — Michael Freidgeim
– Michael Freidgeim, Commented Jan 16, 2017 at 7:34

Doug · Accepted Answer · 2016-08-13 17:05:24Z

86

If you know that the dropdownlist contains the value you're looking to select, use:

ddl.SelectedValue = "2";

If you're not sure if the value exists, use (or you'll get a null reference exception):

ListItem selectedListItem = ddl.Items.FindByValue("2");

if (selectedListItem != null)
{
    selectedListItem.Selected = true;
}

edited Aug 13, 2016 at 17:05

Doug

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answered Aug 8, 2009 at 17:44

ScottE

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2 Comments

amr osama Over a year ago

here is same 2nd solution but in one line of code: ddl.Items.FindByValue("2").Selected=true ;

SearchForKnowledge Over a year ago

The dropdownlist is in a popup which has been populated on page load. I am trying to set the selected index before showing the popup but it is not working. Can you please help? stackoverflow.com/questions/28883433/…

Eray Balkanli · Accepted Answer · 2019-01-21 21:05:04Z

26

Please try below:

myDropDown.SelectedIndex = 
myDropDown.Items.IndexOf(myDropDown.Items.FindByValue("myValue"))

edited Jan 21, 2019 at 21:05

Eray Balkanli

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answered Aug 8, 2009 at 17:23

womp

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3 Comments

David Bonnici Over a year ago

The value is becoming -1 in the myDropDown.SelectedIndex why?

Arnis Lapsa Over a year ago

probably because myDropDown.Items haven't an item "myValue"

womp Over a year ago

IndexOf() returns -1 if the item isn't in the collection. FindByValue() isn't finding the item you're looking for. Just break it apart into separate statements if you need to debug it.

Ian Boyd · Accepted Answer · 2016-01-15 03:43:10Z

ddl.SetSelectedValue("2");

With a handy extension:

public static class WebExtensions
{

    /// <summary>
    /// Selects the item in the list control that contains the specified value, if it exists.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="dropDownList"></param>
    /// <param name="selectedValue">The value of the item in the list control to select</param>
    /// <returns>Returns true if the value exists in the list control, false otherwise</returns>
    public static Boolean SetSelectedValue(this DropDownList dropDownList, String selectedValue)
    {
        ListItem selectedListItem = dropDownList.Items.FindByValue(selectedValue);

        if (selectedListItem != null)
        {
            selectedListItem.Selected = true;
            return true;
        }
        else
            return false;
    }
}

Note: Any code is released into the public domain. No attribution required.

Pradeep · Accepted Answer · 2011-04-21 13:02:09Z

2

This is a simple way to select an option from a dropdownlist based on a string val

private void SetDDLs(DropDownList d,string val)
    {
        ListItem li;
        for (int i = 0; i < d.Items.Count; i++)
        {
            li = d.Items[i];
            if (li.Value == val)
            {
                d.SelectedIndex = i;
                break;
            }
        }
    }

answered Apr 21, 2011 at 13:02

Pradeep

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Comments

Ankursonikajen · Accepted Answer · 2018-06-18 11:11:03Z

2

ddlPageSize.Items.FindByValue("25").Selected = true;

answered Jun 18, 2018 at 11:11

Ankursonikajen

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1 Comment

Nico Haase Over a year ago

This was already posted multiple times. Anything new you'd like to add?

Henk Holterman · Accepted Answer · 2009-08-08 17:21:20Z

1

combobox1.SelectedValue = x;

I suspect you may want yo hear something else, but this is what you asked for.

answered Aug 8, 2009 at 17:21

Henk Holterman

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2 Comments

David Bonnici Over a year ago

You can't because the Selected value only gets the value not set

ScottE Over a year ago

David - you are actually incorrect. Give it a try, and if you gave the -1, you should probably remove it! You will of course get an exception if the value doesn't exist, but it otherwise works just fine.

San · Accepted Answer · 2017-02-15 15:10:59Z

1

I prefer

if(ddl.Items.FindByValue(string) != null)
{
    ddl.Items.FindByValue(string).Selected = true;
}

Replace ddl with the dropdownlist ID and string with your string variable name or value.

answered Feb 15, 2017 at 15:10

San

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2 Comments

San Over a year ago

@MarioDS Really? Isn't more or less indicative of being different. Does it work or not? Is it the same as something provided or not? If yes to first and no to second, why the minus?

San Over a year ago

@MarioDS The answer provides the same function with less code. All answers on here provide different ways for different benefits, benefits of this one is less code.

Eray Balkanli · Accepted Answer · 2019-01-21 21:05:48Z

Ian Boyd (above) had a great answer -- Add this to Ian Boyd's class "WebExtensions" to select an item in a dropdownlist based on text:

/// <summary>
/// Selects the item in the list control that contains the specified text, if it exists.
/// </summary>
/// <param name="dropDownList"></param>
/// <param name="selectedText">The text of the item in the list control to select</param>
/// <returns>Returns true if the value exists in the list control, false otherwise</returns>
public static Boolean SetSelectedText(this DropDownList dropDownList, String selectedText)
{
    ListItem selectedListItem = dropDownList.Items.FindByText(selectedText);
    if (selectedListItem != null)
    {
        selectedListItem.Selected = true;
        return true;
    }
    else
        return false;
}

To call it:

WebExtensions.SetSelectedText(MyDropDownList, "MyValue");

NoCake · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-25 21:54:43Z

0

For those who come here by search (because this thread is over 3 years old):

string entry // replace with search value

if (comboBox.Items.Contains(entry))
   comboBox.SelectedIndex = comboBox.Items.IndexOf(entry);
else
   comboBox.SelectedIndex = 0;

answered Mar 25, 2013 at 21:54

NoCake

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1 Comment

David R. Over a year ago

The Contains method takes a ListItem parameter, not a string value parameter.

Shahriar Rahman Zahin · Accepted Answer · 2020-03-05 10:47:16Z

0

If anyone else is trying this and facing problem then let me point one possible problem: If you are using Web Application then inside Page_Load if you are loading drop-down from DB and at the sametime you want to load data, then first load your drop-down lists and then load your data with selected drop-down conditions.

protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    if (!this.IsPostBack)
    {
        LoadDropdown(); //drop-downs generated first
        LoadData(); // other data loading and drop-down value selection logic here
    }
}

And for successfully selecting drop-down from code follow the approved answer above which is

ddl.SelectedValue = "2";.

Hope it solves the problem

answered Mar 5, 2020 at 10:47

Shahriar Rahman Zahin

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