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JavaScript jQuery Basics (2014) Creating a Mobile Drop Down Menu Perform: Part 1

Posted by nagamani palamuthi
nagamani palamuthi
6,160 Points

Hi there, my code is not showing the options in the select.

https://w.trhou.se/2pm0mhbgmg

cant figure out what is wrong with the code

4 Answers

Alex Hinson
Alex Hinson
20,184 Points
Alex Hinson
Alex Hinson
20,184 Points

The $select only created an element, but it doesn't refer to a specific <select> tag rendered on the page. jQuery needs to know specifically where to do something. Even though you used $select to create the tag, it doesn't mean that $select will always refer to that specific element it created. You could repeat your code $("#menu").append($select); multiple times, which would create multiple <select> tags, but the variable $select wouldn't refer to any specific one.

Also, the syntax of the jQuery selector needs to be $(something).append(); instead of something.append();.

nagamani palamuthi
nagamani palamuthi
6,160 Points

got it thanks!

Alex Hinson
Alex Hinson
20,184 Points
Alex Hinson
Alex Hinson
20,184 Points

I'm seeing this error in the console.

app.js:22 Uncaught TypeError: $select.append is not a function(…)

One solution might be to add a class to your select:

var $select = ("<select class='main-select'></select>");

and then select it at the bottom of your function when you're trying to append the options:

$('.main-select').append($option);
nagamani palamuthi
nagamani palamuthi
6,160 Points
nagamani palamuthi
nagamani palamuthi
6,160 Points

Hi Alex, thnx for the help. it works now. I just added a class name for the select and selected the classname. But, I don't understand why the code did'nt run without the class name. and why it shows error ? any explanation?

Alex Hinson
Alex Hinson
20,184 Points
Alex Hinson
Alex Hinson
20,184 Points

The variable $select is basically just creating a <select> tag when you use $("#menu").append($select);. Once the element is created on the page, the $select variable doesn't refer to the actual <select> element on the page.

The issue was that when you had the code $select.append($option); the $select variable didn't refer to any specific element on the page, so nothing was rendered.

Does that make sense?

nagamani palamuthi
nagamani palamuthi
6,160 Points

but we alresdy set thae $select variable to the <select> elment. still dont get... but how did adding a class help. after all the class is referring to the same <select> .. right?