I'm using the jQueryUI autoplete() function and I can't figure out how to have my form submit when an item is selected.

I think the issue is with the select: event but I'm new with jQueryUI and can't figure out how to make this work.

Here's my code which works fine otherwise:

            <script type="text/javascript">
            $(document).ready(function() {
                $(function() {
                    $( "#search_box" ).autoplete({
                        source: function(request, response) {
                            $.ajax({ url: "<?php echo site_url('autoplete/suggestions'); ?>",
                            data: { term: $("#search_box").val()},
                            dataType: "json",
                            type: "POST",
                        success: function(data){
                            response(data);
                        },
                        select: function (event, ui) {
                                $(event.target).val(ui.item);
                                $('#search_form').submit();
                                return false;
                            }
                        }); 
                    },          
                    minLength: 1 
                    });
                });
            }); 
            </script>

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

I'm using the jQueryUI autoplete() function and I can't figure out how to have my form submit when an item is selected.

I think the issue is with the select: event but I'm new with jQueryUI and can't figure out how to make this work.

Here's my code which works fine otherwise:

            <script type="text/javascript">
            $(document).ready(function() {
                $(function() {
                    $( "#search_box" ).autoplete({
                        source: function(request, response) {
                            $.ajax({ url: "<?php echo site_url('autoplete/suggestions'); ?>",
                            data: { term: $("#search_box").val()},
                            dataType: "json",
                            type: "POST",
                        success: function(data){
                            response(data);
                        },
                        select: function (event, ui) {
                                $(event.target).val(ui.item);
                                $('#search_form').submit();
                                return false;
                            }
                        }); 
                    },          
                    minLength: 1 
                    });
                });
            }); 
            </script>

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

• javascript
• select
• bind
• jquery-autoplete
• jquery-ui-autoplete

• are there any console errors? look in firebug. – Dave L. Commented Jul 8, 2011 at 2:53
• also you have never accepted an answer to your questions, so people might be less eager to help you. – Dave L. Commented Jul 8, 2011 at 2:54
• 1 @tim: Your code works if copy-pasted (minus the AJAX): jsfiddle/uXHCQ with one tweak (ui.item.value instead of ui.item). What do you mean when you say your form doesn't submit? – Andrew Whitaker Commented Jul 8, 2011 at 2:58
• nothing related to this query, any other ideas? – tim peterson Commented Jul 8, 2011 at 3:02
• hi Andrew, I mean that i want the form to submit once one of the items is selected, just the standard thing like Google does... – tim peterson Commented Jul 8, 2011 at 3:15

3 Answers 3

Andrew was correct, see the fiddle he mentioned. If you switch the part with "ui.item" to "ui.item.value" the select: function() now works perfectly.

Yes it works

Except if you expect to get the value in your server-side script in the page called by action...

For now, no way to find why auto-submit of the form after selection by mouse or by keyboard, and the $(event.target).val(ui.item.value) line, don't deliver the value in $_POST array

Yeah Alice is also right. You just need to add this line in your onclick function:

 $('#search_form').submit();

where search_form is the id of your form.