Using one value in a dropdown list to select another value

[Boblevien]

I am trying to use a dropdown list (which takes it’s values from a database table) to display one value but return another (as in a bound column in Access)

Specifically, I want the user to choose from a list of names but I need to return the email address.

I’ve thought about using the selected name in a second SQL statement to look it up but that seems a little long winded – I don’t want to keep running back to the server.

I can also see how to display and return both the name and the email address but then I can’t see how to disentangle them.

Any ideas would be appreciated

 

[DougP]

Well if you put a PIPE symbol in between them like so
Mary Smith|msmith@doda.com
pipe--------^

Then you can search for the location of the PIPE and break apart the two pieces.

here is the syntax in VBScript for finding a pipe

actually here is a sample.
---------------------------
Dim Pipe As Integer, Name1, Email As String
Pipe = InStr(1, ComboBox, "|&quot
Name1 = Left(ComboBox, Pipe - 1)
Email = Right(ComboBox, Len(ComboBox) - Pipe - 1)
---------------------------

substitue "ComboBox" above with your combo box'es name


DougP, MCP
dposton@universal1.com

Ask me how Bar-codes can help you be more productive.

 

[khorjak]

Here's how you do it:

<select name=&quot;employees&quot;>
  <option value=&quot;<%= oRS(&quot;email&quot;) %>&quot;><%= oRS(&quot;name&quot;) %></option>
</select>

This way the list will show names, but the form will submit their email addresses.


Choo Khor
choo.khor@intelebill.com

 

[Boblevien]

Hi,

Thanks to you both - the second solution (khorjak's) did actually come to me next day (while thinking about something else) and has to be the right answer for this specific problem but I'm also gratefull for DougP's solution which has so many more applications.

Thanks,

Bob Levien.