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Chapter 16 Using HTML Forms

ONCLICK, ONFOCUS, ONBLUR, and ONCHANGE

These nonstandard attributes are supported by browsers that under 

stand JavaScript. They indicate code to be executed when the entry is 

clicked on, gains the input focus, loses the input focus, and loses the 

focus after having been changed, respectively. 

HTML Element:

 (End Tag Optional)

Attributes:

SELECTED

, 

VALUE

Only valid inside a 

SELECT

 element, this element specifies the menu choices. 

VALUE

VALUE

 gives the value to be transmitted with the 

NAME

 of the 

SELECT

menu if the current option is selected. This is not the text that is dis 

played to the user; that is specified by separate text listed after the 

OPTION

 tag.

SELECTED

If present, 

SELECTED

 specifies that the particular menu item shown is 

selected when the page is first loaded.

The following example creates a menu of programming language choices.

Because only a single selection is allowed and no visible 

SIZE

 is specified, it is

displayed as a combo box. Figures 16 16 and 16 17 show the initial appear 

ance and the appearance after the user activates the menu by clicking on it. If

the entry 

Java

 is active when the form is submitted, then 

language=java

 is

sent to the server side program. Notice that it is the 

VALUE

 attribute, not the

descriptive text, that is transmitted.

Favorite language: 

  C
  C++
  Java
  Lisp
  Perl
  Smalltalk