<select> dropdown default value

Question

I have this code:

if(isset($_POST['search']))
{
    $res1=mysql_query("SELECT * FROM aircraft where acode = '$_POST[ac]'") or die(mysql_error());
    while($row=mysql_fetch_array($res1))
    {
        $airc=$row['acode'];
        $amode=$row['amodel'];
        $stat=$row['status'];
        $rem=$row['remarks'];

    echo "<center><table><form name=\"frmMain\" method=\"post\"> 
        <tr><td><font face=consolas><b>Aircraft Code:</b></font></td><td><input type=text name=arc value='$airc' readonly=readonly></td></tr>
        <tr><td><font face=consolas><b>Aircraft Model:*</b></font></td><td><input type=text name=am value='$amode'></td></tr>
        <tr><td><font face=consolas><b>Status:*</b></font></td><td><input type=text name=st value='$stat'></td></tr>
        <tr><td><font face=consolas><b>Remarks:*</b></font></td><td><input type=text name=rm value='$rem'></td></tr></table>";
    }
}

On submit 'search' button, this code displays the data from aircraft table. The user is allowed to update the data with the (*) sign.

Since the Status are the following by default (Available, Not Available), I changed this

 <tr><td><font face=consolas><b>Status:*</b></font></td><td><input type=text name=st value='$stat'></td></tr>

to this,

<tr><td><font face=consolas><b>Status:*</b></font></td><td><select name=st>
    <option value=Available>Available</option>
    <option value='Not Available'>Not Available</option>
</select></td></tr>

But I want the dropdown to have it's default value depending on $stat=$row['status']; since this is an update form.

If the data being retrieved has it's status 'Available', then the dropdown should have it's default value as 'Available'.

How can I achieve that? I tried <select name=status value='$stat'> but it doesn't work. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks!

Answer 1

Just put selected="selected" on the option depending on your $row['status'],

<option selected="selected" value="available">Available</option>

Answer 2

write Available and Unavailable into an array

$theArray = array("Available","Not Available");

loop the array:

<tr><td><font face=consolas><b>Status:*</b></font></td><td><select name=st>
<?php
foreach ($theArray as $key => $value) {
    if ($value == $stat) {
        echo('<option selected="selected" value='.$value.'>'.$value.'</option>');
    } else {
        echo('<option value='.$value.'>'.$value.'</option>');
    }
}
?>
</select></td></tr>

and in each loop we check if the value in the array, is the same as it is in the variable, if so, we put the selected there

understand the logic?

Answer 3

<select name=status>
<option value="available" <?php if($row['status']=="available") echo "selected=\"selected\""; ?>>Available</option>
<option value="unavailable" <?php if($row['status']=="unavailable") echo "selected=\"selected\""; ?>>Unvailable</option>
</select>

Basically echo selected="selected" for the option depending on value of the concerned field.