Learning WML, and WMLScript

The <option> Element

While on the subject of the <select> element, it’s time for a closer look at the <option> element that is so vital to it. You’ve already seen the two most common ways to use this element (with or without a value), but it’s also possible to bind a task to an option, so that the task is performed when the user selects the option (or deselects it, for a multiple-selection list).

This task is bound to the onpick event. It can be bound either with a conventional <onevent> binding, or for simple <go> tasks it can be specified with the onpick attribute on the <option> tag itself.

Attributes of the <option> Element

value (optional variable string)

Gives a value to this <option>, which is stored in the name variable of the <select>, as detailed earlier.

title (optional variable string)

Gives a title to this <option>, which some browsers may use to display the option, but some may ignore.

onpick (optional variable URL)

Provides a shorthand method of binding to the onpick event, for the common case where the task is a simple go. Because this task is reduced to just the URL, it cannot contain any <setvar> or <postfield> elements, and its method is limited to GET. In complicated cases, put an <onevent type="onpick"> element of type onpick inside the <option> element.