Select (Editor's Draft)

Overview

The <select> is a control that provides a list of options for the user to select from.

Use Cases

The <select> control is primarily leveraged to select an option for within a form. For example when your buying a shirt you may be provided with a <select> that has options for sizes that you then select the appropriate one for you.

Prior Art/Examples

<select> Properties

Attribute Name	Type	Default Value	Description
`autocomplete`	`string`	`off`	Allows the developer to provide a hint on how to search the content within the `<option>`(s)
`autofocus`	`bool`	`false`	If set to `true` the `input` will have focus set on page load
`disabled`	`bool`	inherited from containing element	If set to `true` the user will not be able to interact with the control
`form`	`string`	the form that contains the `<select>`	Represents the form owner, via the `form` attribute being the same as the `id` of the `<form>`
`labels`	`NodeList`		A NodeList containing the `<label>` elements associated with the `<select>` element
`length`	`int`	`0`	The number of `<option>` elements in the `<select>` element
`multiple`	`bool`	`false`	If set to true this will allow more than one `<option>`
`name`	`string`	`null`	Represents the name of the control
`options`	`HTMLOptionsCollection`		Returns a `HTMLOptionsCollection` of the `<option>` elements contained by the `<select>` element
`required`	`bool`	`false`	A value must be provided for the control if set to `true`
`selectedIndex`	`int`	`-1`	The index of the first or last selected `<option>` element, depending on the value of `multiple`
`selectedOptions`	`HTMLCollection`		An `HTMLCollection` of the selected `<option>` elements
`size`	`int`	`0`	If the `<select>` is shown with a scrollbar, this represents how many `<option>`s are visible.
`type`	`string`	`"select-one"`	Returns either `"select-multiple"` or `"select-one"`
`validationMessage`	`string`	`""`	Represents the message that describes the validation constraints that the control does not satisfy
`validity`	`ValidityState`		Represents the current validity state of the control
`value`	`string`	`""`	Returns the `value` property of the first selected `<option>` if there is one, otherwise an empty string
`willValidate`	`bool`	`true`	A `boolean` that indicates whether the button is a candidate for constraint validation. It is false if any conditions bar it from constraint validation.

<select> Methods

Name	Description
`add`	Adds an `<option>` to the `<select>`'s collection of `<option>` elements
`checkValidity`	Checks whether the element violates any of its validity constraints. If so, fires `invalid` and returns false
`item`	Returns the `<option>` at the specified index in the `<select>`'s `<option>` collection
`namedItem`	Returns the `<option>` in the `<select>`'s `<option>` collection with the specified name
`remove`	Removes the `<option>` at the specified index in the `<select>`'s `<option>` collection
`reportValidity`	If the `<select>` violates any of its validity constraints, shows a visual indicator to the user, fires `invalid`, and returns `false`
`setCustomValidity`	Sets the custom validity message of the `<select>` to the specified string, or clears any custom validity error if passed an empty string

<optgroup> Properties

Property Name	Type	Default Value	Description
`disabled`	`bool`	inherited from containing element	If set to `true` the user will not be able to interact with any of the `<options>`(s) in the group
`label`	`string`		The name of the group of `<option>`s. Required if element is used.

<option> Properties

Property Name	Type	Default Value	Description
`defaultSelected`	`bool`	`false`	The initial value of the `selected` attribute
`disabled`	`bool`	inherited from containing element	If set to `true` the user will not be able to interact with the `<option>`
`form`	HTMLFormElement		Returns the form element that the `<option>` is associated with, the association is inherited from the `<select>`
`index`	`long`		The position of the `<option>` in the list of options it belongs to, in tree order
`label`	`string`		Reflects the value of the `value` attribute if it exists; else reflects `Node.textContent`
`selected`	`bool`	`false`	If set to `true` then the `<option>` is selected
`text`	`string`		Contains the text content of the element
`value`	`string`		Reflects the value of the `value` attribute if it exists; else reflects `Node.textContent`

Anatomy

Diagram

Show slots

Currently selected value

Structure

<select> - The root element that contains the button and listbox [required]
<button> - The button element that contains the selected value and triggers the visibility of the listbox [required]
<listbox> - The wrapper that contains the <option>(s) and <optgroup>(s) [required]
<optgroup> - Groups <options> together with a label [optional]
<option> - Can have one or more and represents the potential values that can be chosen by the user [required]

Content not allowed within the anatomy

The following interactive elements are NOT permitted within a <select> or its children:

button (outside of the pre-defined one)
datalist
input (all types)
meter
progress
select
textarea
anchor
iframe
object

Should <a> and <output> be included?

Should this apply to the entire anatomy or solely the <option> and <optgroup> element

Events

select

Event	Behavior	Impacts
`change`	Updates the textContent property of the selected-value slot with the value property text content	textContent prop

part button

Event	Behavior	Impacts
`click`	Toggles the `open` state of the `<select>`	open state
`click`	Toggles `aria-expanded` attribute of the `button`	aria-expanded attr
`keydown(space)`	Toggles the `open` state of the `<select>`	open state
`keydown(space)`	Toggles `aria-expanded` attribute of the `button`	aria-expanded attr
`keydown(enter)`	Toggles the `open` state of the `<select>`	open state
`keydown(enter)`	Toggles `aria-expanded` of the `button part`	aria-expanded attr

part listbox

Event	Behavior	Impacts
`keydown(down key)`	Moves focus to the next `<option>` in the `listbox`	focus
`keydown(up key)`	Moves focus to the previous `<option>` in the `listbox`	focus
`keydown(enter)`	Changes the `selected` state of the current `<option>` and updates the `<select>` value property	selected prop value prop
`keydown(space)`	Changes the `selected` state of the current `<option>` and updates the `<select>` value property	selected prop value prop
`keydown(enter)`	If the `<select>` does not have the `multiple` attribute then toggle the state of `open` of the `<select>`	open state
`keydown(enter)`	If the `<select>` does not have the `multiple` attribute then toggle the `aria-expanded` attribute of the `button`	aria-expanded attr
`keydown(space)`	If the `<select>` does not have the `multiple` attribute then toggle the state of `open` of the `<select>`	open state
`keydown(space)`	If the `<select>` does not have the `multiple` attribute then toggle the `aria-expanded` attribute of the `button`	aria-expanded attr
`keydown(escape)`	Toggles the `open` state of the `<select>`	open state
`keydown(any single character that no other listbox event listens to)`	Run the typeahead steps given `<select>` and `event.key`	focus

part option

Event	Behavior	Impacts
`click`	Changes the `selected` state of the current `<option>` and updates the `<select>` value property	selected prop value prop
`click`	If the `<select>` does not have the `multiple` attribute then toggle the state of `open` of the `<select>`	open state
`click`	If the `<select>` does not have the `multiple` attribute then toggle the `aria-expanded` attribute of the `button`	aria-expanded attr

Behavior

States

open

This state is applied to the <select> when the listbox is visible to the user.

required

An <option> from the <select> must be selected when the required attribute is set to true

valid

The <select> meets all its validation constraints, and is therefore considered to be valid.

invalid

The <select> does not meet its validation constraints, and is therefore considered to be invalid.

Interaction & transition of states

Default State

Show the currently selected <option> or the first <option>
When the user invokes the button by:
- a pointerup or click event is fired
- the user presses the space or enter key
The state of the <select> is set to open

Open State

The currently selected <option>, or the first if one isn't selected, should be visible within the listbox. This may require moving the list to accomodate listbox positioning and available space.
The user can dismiss the listbox and remove the state of open from the <select> in either of the following manners:
- Triggering any of the listbox's light dismiss behaviors
- Selecting one, or more (if multiple is true), options by clicking or hitting the enter or space key

Light dismiss

The listbox part has "light dismiss", behavior, defined as being dismissed (removing the open state of the <select>, in this case) by either of the following things:

The user presses the escape key.
A focus change occurs (because of either user interaction or script), where the focus target is outside of the subtree of the listbox. This includes the case where the user invokes a non-focusable element, which causes focus to switch to the <body>.
- There is one exception to this: if a user invokes a non-focusable element in the subtree of the listbox, focus still moves to the <body>, but "light dismiss" does not occur.

Typeahead

The typeahead steps given a `<select>` and a `typed character` are as follows:

Let start new search be false.
If longer than the typeahead search timeout has elapsed since the previous invocation of the typeahead steps for listbox, then set start new search to true and set buffer to an empty string.
Let buffer be <select>'s typeahead buffer
Append typed character to buffer.
Let options be the <select>'s list of options.
If start new search is true, then let starting option be the option after the currently focused option (this is the first option if the currently focused option is the last option). Otherwise let starting option be the currently focused option.
The point is that if we're in the middle of a search, we should keep trying to match on the currently selected <option>. If this is a new search, we should start searching at the <option> after the currently selected <option>. If the user wanted the current <option>, then presumably they wouldn't still be typing search text.
Let newly focused option be the result of finding the first matching option given buffer, options, and starting option.
If newly focused option is not null, move focus to newly focused option.

To find the first matching option given a character buffer `buffer` and a list of options `options`, and a `starting option`, run these steps:

For each option in options, starting with starting option, proceeding until the last option, then starting from the first option and proceeding to the option before starting option:
1. Let match text be option.label with whitespace at the beginning and end removed (whitespace characters between non-whitespace characters are not removed).
2. If buffer is a case-insensitive prefix of match text, then return option.
Return null.

The `typeahead buffer` of a `<select>`

A buffer containing the characters typed by the user for typeahead. Initially an empty string.

Typeahead search timeout

This is the maximum time that may elapse between keystrokes without the typeahead search being reset. The value is left to implementations to determine. Typically it will be somewhere around 0.5-1s.

Listbox positioning

When the <select> is in its open state the listbox should

Be positioned allow for the greatest visibility of the listbox as possible.
Let currentBox equal the button's getBoundingClientRect
Let viewportHeight equal document.innerWidth
Let availableTop equal viewportHeight - currentBox.top
Let availableBottom equal viewportHeight - currentBox.bottom
If availableTop is greater than availableBottom:
- Position the listbox's border-box bottom edge with the button's border-box top edge
else
- Position the listbox's border-box top edge with the button's border-box bottom edge

Some frameworks allow a forced directionality with the default being an auto positioning as described above.

Use with Assistive Technology

Implements the combobox role per the HTML AAM spec.

Security

Avoiding UI spoofing

If a listbox is rendered outside of the viewport, then it is highly recommended to limit control over the possible adjustments that an author can make. This is due to the developer being able to overlay their content with the application's UI, of which the user trusts and can result in clickjacking due to UI spoofing. If the application enables the author to have complete control over its appearance, the implementor MUST render the listbox within the viewport.

This also MUST apply to embedded content, such as an <iframe> as it may try to mimick the appearance of the site it is being embedded on.

Open Questions

Provide arbitrary HTML into <option> elements
- What is the value of an option with complex content? [Issue 69]
- How does focus work with focusable children within the control?
- How does form validation work?

Resources

Acknowledgements

Some method and attribute definitions were sourced from the MDN definitions