Yii Dropdown List Empty Value as Default

Question

I have a dropdownlist in my _form model and I want to add a empty value (which I want as default). I have the following:

In _form:

<?php echo $form->labelEx($model,'country_id'); ?>
<?php echo $form->dropDownList($model,'country_id',Country::items(),array('empty' => '--Select a country--')); ?>
<?php echo $form->error($model,'country_id'); ?>

In Model Country:

public static function items()
{
 return CHtml::listData(Country::model()->findAllBySql(
 'SELECT * from country'), 
 'id', 'name');
}

Even my empty option is in the first row in dropdownlist, the 1st country in list shows as default.

I tried:

<?php echo $form->dropDownList($model,'country_id',
 Country::items(),array('empty'=>'--Select a country--',
 'options'=>
 array(
 '3'=>array('selected'=>'selected')
 )
 )); 
?>
 

In this way I can choose the default option, but cant set it to empty value, just countries that came from model:items.

Any idea?

Answer 1

Are you sure that country_id property of your model is not set to anything when you print the dropdown list? The following works for me if $model instance is created using new Country() operator but not by populating properties from database:

<?php echo $form->dropDownList(
 $model,
 'country_id',
 Country::items(),
 array(
 'empty'=>'--Select a country--')
 );
?>

• groovekiller: country_id is not setting anything. This $model is another model that has country_id as a FK. 'country' => array(self::BELONGS_TO, 'Country', 'country_id'), and in country model: 'team'=>array(self::HAS_MANY,'Team','country_id') ... I have this same code in another apps, and it works.. just in thsi case, the same code.. dont works...
• groovekiller: Sorry, my BIG mistake, i set in database that country_id in tbl_team has a default value = 1...

Answer 2

Read documentation. There is 'prompt' parameter.

Try this:

<?php
 echo $form->dropDownList($model,'country_id',Country::items(), array(
 'prompt' => '--Select a country--'
 ));
?>

See more details here http://www.yiiframework.com/forum/index.php/topic/11195-how-to-edit-the-default-option-in-dropdownlist/

Answer 3

You always can do something like array_merge in your items method

public static function items()
{
return array_merge(array(''=>'--Select a country--'), CHtml::listData(Country::model()->findAllBySql(
 'SELECT * from country'), 
 'id', 'name'));
}

Answer 4

I believe youre looking for:

echo $form->dropDownList($model,'country_id',Country::items(),array('prompt'=>''));

Answer 5

if you use yiibooster maybe this will help

<?php echo $form->dropDownListGroup(
 $model,
 'kode_cuti_sub2',
 array(
 'empty'=>'--Select a country--',
 'widgetOptions' => array(
 'data' => array('Something ...', 'Pilih Jenis Cuti'=>Chtml::listData(Cuti::model()->cuti_sub2(),'kode','jenis_cuti')),
 'options' => array(
 'placeholder' => 'Pilih NIP Pegawai',
 'width' => '100%',
 ),
 ),
 'wrapperHtmlOptions' => array(
 'class' => 'col-sm-5',
 ),
 )
 ); ?>

in my case it's worked