Get value from drop down using jQuery (lookup column)

Question

I feel like this should be an easy one but am having trouble finding the answer here and via Google. Using jQuery, how do I retrieve the currently selected value from a dropdown in an EditForm/NewForm. The dropdown is a lookup column?

I've tried:

 $('#my_lookup_input_id').val()

Which returns a static value; if the drop down is changed, it won't alter the val() output.

I found this answer but I am using SP2007. I need to be able to get the lookup ID/name pair from the dropdown in order to update another record from a different list using SPServices and GetListItems.

Answer 1

Use the F12 tools. Depending how many values are in your Lookup Field SharePoint will render it differently. I do believe the thershold is 20 items.

Under 20 the Lookup will render as a Select field. ex $("select[title='"+ fieldTitle +"']").val();

Over 20 ex $("input[title='"+ fieldTitle +"']").val();

if you want to get the ids of the input there is a attribute "optHid". Here is samples to get all values and ids. choices = $("input[title='" +fieldTitle +"']").attr("choices"); hiddenInput = $("input[title='" +fieldTitle +"']").attr("optHid");

Answer 2

$("#my_lookup_input_id option:selected").val()

This should get the selected value but as indicated by PirateEric you would need to call this again if the value changes.

Answer 3

So, after some more digging this morning and banging my head I found a solution using SPServices. First, convert the field from a complex to a simple drop down:

$().SPServices.SPComplexToSimpleDropdown({  
    columnName: "myColumn"
});

Then, you can get the ID (and then the value) by using what SPServices has cleverly injected:

$('#SPComplexToSimpleDropdown_myColumn').val();

I'm still not sure of a way to do this without SPServices but I think it has to do with how SharePoint is doing funny business with the input field.

PS: set the value

If you want to set the value of the dropdown you need to fire the change() event after setting it so the internal code gets tapped.

$('#SPComplexToSimpleDropdown_myColumn').val(15).change();

Answer 4

$("select[title='Lookup field Title'] :selected").text()