AngularJS Select

In AngularJS, you can create a dropdown list (select box) based on items in an array, or an object.

Using ng-options

You should use the ng-option directive to create a dropdown list, based on an object or an array in AngularJS.

See this example:

 <!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<script src="../ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/angularjs/1.4.8/angular.min.js"></script>
<body>
<div ng-app="myApp" ng-controller="myCtrl">
<select ng-model="selectedName" ng-options="x for x in names">
</select>
</div>
<script>
var app = angular.module('myApp', []);
app.controller('myCtrl', function($scope) {
    $scope.names = ["Java", "PHP", ".Net", "AngularJS", "C/C++"];
});
</script>
</body>

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</html>

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Note:

You can also use the ng-repeat directive to make the same dropdown list as ng-options.

See this example:

 <!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<script src="../ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/angularjs/1.4.8/angular.min.js"></script>
<body>
<div ng-app="myApp" ng-controller="myCtrl">
<select>
<option ng-repeat="x in names">{{x}}</option>
</select>
</div>
<script>
var app = angular.module('myApp', []);
app.controller('myCtrl', function($scope) {
        $scope.names = ["Java", "PHP", ".Net", "AngularJS", "C/C++"];
});
</script>
<p>The same example of dropdown list using the ng-repeat directive.</p>
</body>
</html>

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ng-options vs. ng-repeat

Although, both can be used for dropdown list, but ng-repeat directive repeats a block of HTML code for each item in an array, it can be used to create options in a dropdown list, while the ng-options directive was made especially for filling a dropdown list with options, and has at least one important advantage:

Dropdowns made with ng-options allows the selected value to be an object, while dropdowns made from ng-repeat has to be a string.

Consider that you have an array of objects:

$scope.cars = [
    {model : "Ford Mustang", color : "red"},
    {model : "Fiat 500", color : "white"},
    {model : "Volvo XC90", color : "black"}
];

Limitation of ng-repeat

The ng-repeat directive has a limitation that the selected value must be a string:

See this example:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<script src="../ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/angularjs/1.4.8/angular.min.js"></script>
<body>
<div ng-app="myApp" ng-controller="myCtrl">
<p>Select a car:</p>
<select ng-model="selectedCar">
<option ng-repeat="x in cars" value="{{x.model}}">{{x.model}}</option>
</select>
<h1>You selected: {{selectedCar}}</h1>
</div>
<script>
var app = angular.module('myApp', []);
app.controller('myCtrl', function($scope) {
    $scope.cars = [
        {model : "Ford", color : "red"},
        {model : "Honda", color : "white"},
        {model : "Volvo", color : "black"},
        {model : "Hundai", color : "gray"}
    ];
});
</script>
</body>
</html>

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While using the ng-options directive, you can select an object value:

See this example:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<script src="../ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/angularjs/1.4.8/angular.min.js"></script>
<body>
<div ng-app="myApp" ng-controller="myCtrl">
<p>Select a car:</p>
<select ng-model="selectedCar" ng-options="x.model for x in cars">
</select>
<h1>You selected: {{selectedCar.model}}</h1>
<p>It's color is: {{selectedCar.color}}</p>
</div>
<script>
var app = angular.module('myApp', []);
app.controller('myCtrl', function($scope) {
       $scope.cars = [
        {model : "Ford", color : "red"},
        {model : "Honda", color : "white"},
        {model : "Volvo", color : "black"},
        {model : "Hundai", color : "gray"}
    ];

});
</script>
</body>
</html>

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Use data source as an object

We can also use data source as an object.

Consider that you have an object with following key-value pairs:

$scope.cars = {
        car01 : "Ford",
        car02 : "Honda",
        car03 : "Volvo",
        car03 : "Hundai",
    };

The expression in the ng-options attribute is a bit different for objects:

See this example:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<script src="../ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/angularjs/1.4.8/angular.min.js"></script>
<body>
<div ng-app="myApp" ng-controller="myCtrl">
<p>Select a car:</p>
<select ng-model="selectedCar" ng-options="x for (x, y) in cars">
</select>
<h1>You selected: {{selectedCar}}</h1>
</div>
<script>
var app = angular.module('myApp', []);
app.controller('myCtrl', function($scope) {
    $scope.cars = {
        car01 : "Ford",
        car02 : "Honda",
        car03 : "Volvo",
        car03 : "Hundai",
    }
});
</script>
</body>
</html>

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Example2:

The selected value will always be the value in a key-value pair.

The value in a key-value pair can also be an object:

$scope.cars = {
car01 : {brand : "Ford", model : "Mustang", color : "red"},
car02 : {brand : "Honda", model : "city", color : "white"},
car03 : {brand : "Volvo", model : "XC90", color : "black"},
car04 : {brand : "Hundai", model : "Creta", color : "gray"}
};

See this example:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<script src="../ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/angularjs/1.4.8/angular.min.js"></script>
<body>
<div ng-app="myApp" ng-controller="myCtrl">
<p>Select a car:</p>
<select ng-model="selectedCar" ng-options="x for (x, y) in cars">
</select>
<h1>You selected: {{selectedCar.brand}}</h1>
<h2>Model: {{selectedCar.model}}</h2>
<h3>Color: {{selectedCar.color}}</h3>
</div>
<script>
var app = angular.module('myApp', []);
app.controller('myCtrl', function($scope) {
    $scope.cars = {
car01 : {brand : "Ford", model : "Mustang", color : "red"},
car02 : {brand : "Honda", model : "city", color : "white"},
car03 : {brand : "Volvo", model : "XC90", color : "black"},
car04 : {brand : "Hundai", model : "Creta", color : "gray"}
    }
});
</script>
</body>
</html>

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Interview Questions

AngularJS Select

Using ng-options

ng-options vs. ng-repeat

Limitation of ng-repeat

Use data source as an object