Select2 start with input field instead of dropdown

Question

I use the js library select2. This is a screenshot of what I have now:
Start:

Click on dropdown:

Now is it possible to have an input field to start with and not directly a dropdownlist? I know it's possible because you can find it on the select2 site. An example is this:

But the documentation is very brief. This is what I have now:

<input type="text" name="questions[question1]" id="question1" class="question1" style="width:500px"/>

function createQuestionTags(data, question_number){
  $(".question" + question_number).select2({
    createSearchChoice: function (term, data) {
      if ($(data).filter(function () {
        return this.text.localeCompare(term) === 0;
      }).length === 0) {
        return {
          id: term,
          text: term
        };
      }
    },
    data: data,
    placeholder: "Enter Question",
    allowClear:true
  });
}

(The data is received from an ajax call)

Hickox

Answer 1

What you are seeing is actually a multi-select or multi-value drop down box in that example. It is not a single value drop down box like you are using in your code. Per the Select2 website, select2 will detect that you are trying to use a multi-select box and will automatically apply that styling instead of the default (drop down arrow, etc.).

If you in fact need a single value drop down box, there is no direct way to make it display with the formatting of the multi-select so that it looks like a regular input box. There may be a way to fake it by adding or removing CSS classes. I played around a bit but couldn't find one.

Since you don't want the formatting, the search box, or the multi-select capability (I'm assuming) you probably don't need to use the select2 library.

Update: It looks like you're not the first person to try to do this. They plan to add this feature but it might be a while: https://github.com/select2/select2/issues/1345

Delwin

Thanks for the perfect explanation! Do yo maybe know another good library I can use for autosuggesting? – Hickox

You're plenty welcome. I'm not sure what you mean by autosuggesting. I think you mean something like autocomplete. Like a google search for example. If so, jQuery UI has a very easy to use feature that will work with ajax. jqueryui.com/autocomplete – Delwin

Answer 2

The only workaround that I could come up with is to use both multiple: true and maximumSelectionSize: 1 when setting up.

Please see my example here: http://jsfiddle.net/DanEtchy/Lnf8j/

Lotetgaronne

The styling isn't ideal, but this works. The name of the option was changed to maximumSelectionLength (but it's not listed in the docs for the latest version for some reason). – Fighterbomber

I also think that this solution isn't ideal but it can help in my case. Thanks for sharing your comment! – Scrunch

This is the best solution. The UX of the multisel is much better than that of the single-selection with ugly double-inputfields. Should be the default for single-selection as well. – Analyze

Answer 3

This is possible in Select2 4.0.0 with the new selection adapters. You can swap out the SingleSelection with a MultipleSelection (including any relevant decorators) and it should behave as expected.

$.fn.select2.amd.require([
  'select2/selection/multiple',
  'select2/selection/search',
  'select2/dropdown',
  'select2/dropdown/attachBody',
  'select2/dropdown/closeOnSelect',
  'select2/compat/containerCss',
  'select2/utils'
], function (MultipleSelection, Search, Dropdown, AttachBody, CloseOnSelect, ContainerCss, Utils) {
  var SelectionAdapter = Utils.Decorate(
    MultipleSelection,
    Search
  );
  
  var DropdownAdapter = Utils.Decorate(
    Utils.Decorate(
      Dropdown,
      CloseOnSelect
    ),
    AttachBody
  );
  
  $('.inline-search').select2({
    dropdownAdapter: DropdownAdapter,
    selectionAdapter: SelectionAdapter
  });
  
  $('.dropdown-search').select2({
    selectionAdapter: MultipleSelection
  });
  
  $('.autocomplete').select2({
    dropdownAdapter: DropdownAdapter,
    selectionAdapter: Utils.Decorate(SelectionAdapter, ContainerCss),
    containerCssClass: 'select2-autocomplete'
  });
});

.select2-selection__choice__remove {
  display: none !important;
}

.select2-container--focus .select2-autocomplete .select2-selection__choice {
  display: none;
}

<link href="//cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/select2/4.0.0/css/select2.css" rel="stylesheet"/>

<script src="//cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.1.3/jquery.js"></script>
<script src="//cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/select2/4.0.0/js/select2.full.js"></script>

<p>With an inline search box</p>

<select style="width: 200px" class="inline-search">
  <option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option>
</select>

<p>With the search box in the dropdown</p>

<select style="width: 200px" class="dropdown-search">
  <option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option>
</select>

<p>With the selection hidden when it is focused</p>

<select style="width: 200px" class="autocomplete">
  <option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option>
</select>

By default, Select2 will set up the dropdown to have the search (instead of the selection container) which you will need to override if you want to perfectly emulate a multiple select.

Fossorial

Thanks for this Kevin. If we wanted to remove that selection__choice so there is more room to type, would you recommend we hide that class on the open event (and show on the close event)? This would be even closer to acting like an autocomplete. – Kist

@Kist I just added an example of how that can be done with only CSS and containerCssClass using the new focus state added in 4.0.1-rc.1. – Fossorial

Answer 4

Instead of Select2 the better choice would be selectize because Select2 seems dead

The usage is easy:

$('select').selectize(options);

Here is number of examples how to use and customize selectize

Wichman

Answer 5

In my case, I wanted the user's selections from the dropdown to appear in a list below the dropdown, rather than working like a regular dropdown list. So this workaround worked for me:

$('#myselect').select2({
    multiple:true
})
.on('select2:select', function (e) {
    //clear the input box after a selection is made
    $(this).val([]).trigger('change');
});

Of course that won't work if you want the selected item to stay selected in select2's input box like it does with a regular select2 multiselect list.

Fighterbomber

Answer 6

Custom implementation using Bootstrap styling, simple but functional:

var elements = $(document).find('select.form-control');
for (var i = 0, l = elements.length; i < l; i++) {
  var $select = $(elements[i]), $label = $select.parents('.form-group').find('label');
  
  $select.select2({
    allowClear: false,
    placeholder: $select.data('placeholder'),
    minimumResultsForSearch: 0,
    theme: 'bootstrap',
		width: '100%' // https://github.com/select2/select2/issues/3278
  });
  
  // Trigger focus
  $label.on('click', function (e) {
    $(this).parents('.form-group').find('select').trigger('focus').select2('focus');
  });
  
  // Trigger search
  $select.on('keydown', function (e) {
    var $select = $(this), $select2 = $select.data('select2'), $container = $select2.$container;
    
    // Unprintable keys
    if (typeof e.which === 'undefined' || $.inArray(e.which, [0, 8, 9, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 27, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 44, 45, 46, 91, 92, 93, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 123, 124, 144, 145, 224, 225, 57392, 63289]) >= 0) {
      return true;
    }

    // Already opened
    if ($container.hasClass('select2-container--open')) {
      return true;
    }

    $select.select2('open');

    // Default search value
    var $search = $select2.dropdown.$search || $select2.selection.$search, query = $.inArray(e.which, [13, 40, 108]) < 0 ? String.fromCharCode(e.which) : '';
    if (query !== '') {
      $search.val(query).trigger('keyup');
    }
  });

  // Format, placeholder
  $select.on('select2:open', function (e) {
		var $select = $(this), $select2 = $select.data('select2'), $dropdown = $select2.dropdown.$dropdown || $select2.selection.$dropdown, $search = $select2.dropdown.$search || $select2.selection.$search, data = $select.select2('data');
    
    // Above dropdown
    if ($dropdown.hasClass('select2-dropdown--above')) {
      $dropdown.append($search.parents('.select2-search--dropdown').detach());
    }

    // Placeholder
    $search.attr('placeholder', (data[0].text !== '' ? data[0].text : $select.data('placeholder')));
  });
}

/* !important not needed with less */

.form-group {
  padding: 25px;
}

.form-group.above {
  position: absolute;
  bottom: 0; left: 0; right: 0;
}

.select2-container--open .select2-selection {
    box-shadow: none!important;
}

.select2-container--open .select2-selection .select2-selection__arrow {
    z-index: 9999; /* example */
}

.select2-dropdown {
  /* .box-shadow(@form-control-focus-box-shadow); (from select2-boostrap */
  -webkit-box-shadow: inset 0 1px 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.075), 0 0 8px rgba(102, 175, 233, 0.6);
  box-shadow: inset 0 1px 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.075), 0 0 8px rgba(102, 175, 233, 0.6);
  
  /* border-color: @input-border-focus; */
  border-color: #66afe9;
  border-top-width: 1px!important;
  border-top-style: solid!important;
  /* border-top-left-radius: @input-border-radius; */
  border-top-left-radius: 4px!important;
  /* border-top-right-radius: @input-border-radius; */
  border-top-right-radius: 4px!important;
  
  /* margin-top: -@input-height-base; */
  margin-top: -34px!important;
}

.select2-dropdown .select2-search {
    padding: 0;
}

.select2-dropdown .select2-search .select2-search__field {
  
  /* !important not needed using less */
  border-top: 0!important;
  border-left: 0!important;
  border-right: 0!important;
  border-radius: 0!important;
  
  /* padding: @padding-base-vertical @padding-base-horizontal; */
  padding: 6px 12px;
  
  /* height: calc(@input-height-base - 1px); */
  height: 33px;
}

.select2-dropdown.select2-dropdown--above {
  /* border-bottom: 1px solid @input-border-focus; */
  border-bottom: 1px solid #66afe9!important;
  /* border-bottom-left-radius: @input-border-radius; */
  border-bottom-left-radius: 4px!important;
  /* border-bottom-right-radius: @input-border-radius; */
  border-bottom-right-radius: 4px!important;
  /* margin-top: @input-height-base; */
  margin-top: 34px!important;
}

.select2-dropdown.select2-dropdown--above .select2-search .select2-search__field {
  /* border-top: 1px solid @input-border; */
  border-top: 1px solid #66afe9!important;
  border-bottom: 0!important;
}

<link href="https://maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/3.3.5/css/bootstrap.min.css" rel="stylesheet"/>
<link href="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/select2/4.0.1/css/select2.min.css" rel="stylesheet"/>
<link href="https://select2.github.io/select2-bootstrap-theme/css/select2-bootstrap.css" rel="stylesheet"/>
<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.1.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/select2/4.0.1/js/select2.full.min.js"></script>
<div class="form-group">
  <label class="control-label">Below example (click label to focus)</label>
  <select class="form-control" id="select2-single-box" name="select2-single-box" data-placeholder="Pick your choice" data-tabindex="1">
    <option></option>
    <option value="1">First choice</option>
    <option value="2">Second choice</option>
    <option value="3">Third choice</option>
    <option value="4">Fourth choice</option>
    <option value="5">Fifth choice</option>
    <option value="6">Sixth choice</option>
    <option value="7">Seventh choice</option>
    <option value="8">Eighth choice</option>
    <option value="9">Ninth choice</option>
  </select>
</div>
<div class="form-group above">
  <label class="control-label">Above example (click label to focus)</label>
  <select class="form-control" id="select2-single-box" name="select2-single-box" data-placeholder="Pick your choice" data-tabindex="2">
    <option></option>
    <option value="1">First choice</option>
    <option value="2">Second choice</option>
    <option value="3">Third choice</option>
    <option value="4">Fourth choice</option>
    <option value="5">Fifth choice</option>
    <option value="6">Sixth choice</option>
    <option value="7">Seventh choice</option>
    <option value="8">Eighth choice</option>
    <option value="9">Ninth choice</option>
  </select>
</div>

Select2's minimumInputLength: 1 option can hide the dropdown on focus/open...

Update: Code cleanup, don't open dropdown on focus.

Teakwood

Answer 7

Use these properties

$('#placeSelect').select2({
width: '100%',
allowClear: true,
multiple: true,
maximumSelectionSize: 1,   
});

just call this function on onchange event of dropdown

function ResentForMe(){
var _text=$('.select2-selection__rendered li:first-child').attr('title');
$('.select2-selection__rendered li:first-child').remove();
$('.select2-search__field').val(_text);
$('.select2-search__field').css('width','100%');
}

Note: Remove "Multiple" attribute from select

Gev

Answer 8

dudes, add some CSS anywhere:

.select2-dropdown--below {
    margin-top: -33px !important;
    border-radius: 4px !important;
}

just try it! ;)

Marvel

Answer 9

Matt,)

this work

    $('.search-town-flat').select2({
        multiple: true,
        placeholder: "Enter values",
        allowClear: true,
        maximumSelectionLength: 2,
        theme      : "classic"
    }).on('select2:select', function (e) {
        $(this).val([]).trigger('change');
        $(this).val([e.params.data.id]).trigger("change");
    });

Venuti

Answer 10

$.fn.select2.amd.require([
  'select2/selection/multiple',
  'select2/selection/search',
  'select2/dropdown',
  'select2/dropdown/attachBody',
  'select2/dropdown/closeOnSelect',
  'select2/compat/containerCss',
  'select2/utils'
], function (MultipleSelection, Search, Dropdown, AttachBody, CloseOnSelect, ContainerCss, Utils) {
  var SelectionAdapter = Utils.Decorate(
    MultipleSelection,
    Search
  );
  
  var DropdownAdapter = Utils.Decorate(
    Utils.Decorate(
      Dropdown,
      CloseOnSelect
    ),
    AttachBody
  );
  
  $('.inline-search').select2({
    dropdownAdapter: DropdownAdapter,
    selectionAdapter: SelectionAdapter
  });
  
  $('.dropdown-search').select2({
    selectionAdapter: MultipleSelection
  });
  
  $('.autocomplete').select2({
    dropdownAdapter: DropdownAdapter,
    selectionAdapter: Utils.Decorate(SelectionAdapter, ContainerCss),
    containerCssClass: 'select2-autocomplete'
  });
});

.select2-selection__choice__remove {
  display: none !important;
}

.select2-container--focus .select2-autocomplete .select2-selection__choice {
  display: none;
}

<link href="//cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/select2/4.0.0/css/select2.css" rel="stylesheet"/>

<script src="//cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.1.3/jquery.js"></script>
<script src="//cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/select2/4.0.0/js/select2.full.js"></script>

<p>With an inline search box</p>

<select style="width: 200px" class="inline-search">
  <option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option>
</select>

<p>With the search box in the dropdown</p>

<select style="width: 200px" class="dropdown-search">
  <option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option>
</select>

<p>With the selection hidden when it is focused</p>

<select style="width: 200px" class="autocomplete">
  <option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option>
</select>

Daggna

This is a code only answer. While it may be correct and helpful, you can improve your post by adding some text and explanation to it. Maken it even more helpful. – Wilberwilberforce

Answer 11

I simply formatted a standard input box with CSS to look like a Select2() dropdown:

input {
    width: 100%;
    padding: 7px 5px;
    margin: 1px 0;
    display: inline-block;
    border: 1px solid #ccc;
    border-radius: 4px;
    box-sizing: border-box;
}

Buford

Answer 12

$.fn.select2.amd.require([
  'select2/selection/multiple',
  'select2/selection/search',
  'select2/dropdown',
  'select2/dropdown/attachBody',
  'select2/dropdown/closeOnSelect',
  'select2/compat/containerCss',
  'select2/utils'
], function (MultipleSelection, Search, Dropdown, AttachBody, CloseOnSelect, ContainerCss, Utils) {
  var SelectionAdapter = Utils.Decorate(
    MultipleSelection,
    Search
  );
  
  var DropdownAdapter = Utils.Decorate(
    Utils.Decorate(
      Dropdown,
      CloseOnSelect
    ),
    AttachBody
  );
  
  $('.inline-search').select2({
    dropdownAdapter: DropdownAdapter,
    selectionAdapter: SelectionAdapter
  });
  
  $('.dropdown-search').select2({
    selectionAdapter: MultipleSelection
  });
  
  $('.autocomplete').select2({
    dropdownAdapter: DropdownAdapter,
    selectionAdapter: Utils.Decorate(SelectionAdapter, ContainerCss),
    containerCssClass: 'select2-autocomplete'
  });
});

.select2-selection__choice__remove {
  display: none !important;
}

.select2-container--focus .select2-autocomplete .select2-selection__choice {
  display: none;
}

<link href="//cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/select2/4.0.0/css/select2.css" rel="stylesheet"/>

<script src="//cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.1.3/jquery.js"></script>
<script src="//cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/select2/4.0.0/js/select2.full.js"></script>

<p>With an inline search box</p>

<select style="width: 200px" class="inline-search">
  <option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option>
</select>

<p>With the search box in the dropdown</p>

<select style="width: 200px" class="dropdown-search">
  <option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option>
</select>

<p>With the selection hidden when it is focused</p>

<select style="width: 200px" class="autocomplete">
  <option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option><option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option><option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option><option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option><option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option><option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option><option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option><option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option><option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option><option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option><option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option><option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option><option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option><option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option><option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option><option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option><option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option><option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option><option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option><option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option><option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option><option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option><option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option><option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option><option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option><option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option><option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option><option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option><option value="AL">Alabama</option>
  <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
  <option value="AZ">Arizona</option>
</select>

Hour

Please include explanation to your answer – Jessjessa

While this code may answer the question, providing additional context regarding how and/or why it solves the problem would improve the answer's long-term value. You can find more information on how to write good answers in the help center: stackoverflow.com/help/how-to-answer . Good luck 🙂 – Reginaldreginauld