rich:comboBox comboBox

Component identification parameters

Name | Value
--- | ---
component-type | org.richfaces.ComboBox
component-class | org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlComboBox
component-family | org.richfaces.ComboBox
renderer-type | org.richfaces.renderkit.ComboBoxRenderer
tag-class | org.richfaces.taglib.ComboBoxTag

## Creating the Component with a Page Tag

Here is a simple example as it could be used on a page:

Example:

    ...
    <rich:comboBox value="#{bean.state}" suggestionValues="#{bean.suggestions}" />
    ...

## Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

Example:

    import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlComboBox;
    ...
    HtmlComboBox myComboBox = new HtmlComboBox();
    ...

## Details of Usage

The <rich:comboBox> is a simplified suggestion box component, that provides input with client side suggestions. The component could be in two states:

- Default - only input and button is shown

- Input, button and a popup list of suggestions attached to input is shown

There are two ways to get values for the popup list of suggestions:

- Using the "suggestionValues" attribute, that defines the suggestion collection

  Example:

      ...
      <rich:comboBox value="#{bean.state}" suggestionValues="#{bean.suggestions}" />
      ...

- Using the <f:selectItem /> or <f:selectItems /> JSF components.

  Example:

      ...
      <rich:comboBox value="#{bean.state}" valueChangeListener="#{bean.selectionChanged}">
              <f:selectItems  value="#{bean.selectItems}"/>
              <f:selectItem itemValue="Oregon"/>
              <f:selectItem itemValue="Pennsylvania"/>
              <f:selectItem itemValue="Rhode Island"/>
              <f:selectItem itemValue="South Carolina"/>
      </rich:comboBox>
      ...

  Note:

  These JSF components consider only the "value" attribute for this component.

Popup list content loads at page render time. No additional requests could be performed on the popup calling.

The "value" attribute stores value from input after submit.

The "directInputSuggestions" attribute defines, how the first value from the suggested one appears in an input field. If it's "true" the first value appears with the suggested part highlighted.

Example:

    ...
    <rich:comboBox value="#{bean.state}" suggestionValues="#{bean.suggestions}" directInputSuggestions="true" />
    ...

This is a result:

<rich:comboBox> with "directInputSuggestions" attribute.

The "selectFirstOnUpdate" attribute defines if the first value from suggested is selected in a popup list. If it's "false" nothing is selected in the list before a user hovers some item with the mouse.

Example:

    ...
    <rich:comboBox value="#{bean.state}" suggestionValues="#{bean.suggestions}" selectFirstOnUpdate="false" />
    ...

This is a result:

<rich:comboBox> with "selectFirstOnUpdate" attribute.

The "defaultLabel" attribute defines the default label of the input element. Simple example is placed below.

Example:

    ...
    <rich:comboBox value="#{bean.state}" suggestionValues="#{bean.suggestions}" defaultLabel="Select a city..." />
    ...

This is a result:

<rich:comboBox> with "defaultLabel" attribute.

With the help of the "disabled" attribute you can disable the whole <rich:comboBox> component. See the following example.

Example:

    ...
    <rich:comboBox value="#{bean.state}" suggestionValues="#{bean.suggestions}" defaultLabel="Select a city..." disabled="true" />
    ...

This is a result:

<rich:comboBox> with "disabled" attribute.

The "enableManualInput" attribute enables/disables input field, so when `enableManualInput = "false"` , user can only pick the value manually and has no possibility to type in the value (default value is "false").

The <rich:comboBox> component provides to use specific event attributes:

- "onlistcall"which is fired before the list opening and gives you a possibility to cancel list popup/update

- "onselect"which gives you a possibility to send AJAX request when item is selected

The <rich:comboBox> component allows to use sizes attributes:

- "listWidth" and "listHeight" attributes specify popup list sizes with values in pixels

- "width" attribute customizes the size of input element with values in pixels.

## JavaScript API

JavaScript API

Function | Description
--- | ---
showList() | Shows the popup list
hideList() | Hides the popup list
enable() | Enables the control for input
disable() | Disables the control for input

## Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:comboBox> components at once:

- Redefine the corresponding skin parameters

- Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:comboBox> component

## Skin Parameters Redefinition

Skin parameters redefinition for a popup list

Skin parameters | CSS properties
--- | ---
tableBackgroundColor | background
panelBorderColor | border-color

Skin parameters redefinition for a button background, inactive button background, button background in pressed and disabled state

Skin parameters | CSS properties
--- | ---
tabBackgroundColor | background-color

Skin parameters redefinition for a button

Skin parameters | CSS properties
--- | ---
panelBorderColor | border-top-color
panelBorderColor | border-left-color

Skin parameters redefinition for an inactive button

Skin parameters | CSS properties
--- | ---
panelBorderColor | border-top-color
panelBorderColor | border-left-color

Skin parameters redefinition for a disabled button

Skin parameters | CSS properties
--- | ---
panelBorderColor | border-top-color
panelBorderColor | border-left-color

Skin parameters redefinition for a hovered button

Skin parameters | CSS properties
--- | ---
selectControlColor | border-color

Skin parameters redefinition for a font

Skin parameters | CSS properties
--- | ---
generalSizeFont | font-size
generalFamilyFont | font-family
generalTextColor | color

Skin parameters redefinition for a font in inactive state

Skin parameters | CSS properties
--- | ---
generalSizeFont | font-size
generalFamilyFont | font-family
generalTextColor | color

Skin parameters redefinition for a font in disabled state

Skin parameters | CSS properties
--- | ---
headerFamilyFont | font-size
headerFamilyFont | font-family

Skin parameters redefinition for an input field

Skin parameters | CSS properties
--- | ---
controlBackgroundColor | background-color
panelBorderColor | border-bottom-color
panelBorderColor | border-right-color

Skin parameters redefinition for an inactive input field

Skin parameters | CSS properties
--- | ---
controlBackgroundColor | background-color
panelBorderColor | border-bottom-color
panelBorderColor | border-right-color

Skin parameters redefinition for a disabled input field

Skin parameters | CSS properties
--- | ---
controlBackgroundColor | background-color
panelBorderColor | border-bottom-color
panelBorderColor | border-right-color

Skin parameters redefinition for an item

Skin parameters | CSS properties
--- | ---
generalSizeFont | font-size
generalFamilyFont | font-family
generalTextColor | color

Skin parameters redefinition for a selected item

Skin parameters | CSS properties
--- | ---
headerBackgroundColor | background-color
headerBackgroundColor | border-color
generalTextColor | color

## Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Classes names

Classes names

Classes names that define popup list representation

Class name | Description
--- | ---
rich-combobox-shell | Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a list
rich-combobox-list-position | Defines position of a list
rich-combobox-list-decoration | Defines styles for a list
rich-combobox-list-scroll | Defines styles for a list scrolling

Classes names that define font representation

Class name | Description
--- | ---
rich-combobox-font | Defines styles for a font
rich-combobox-font-inactive | Defines styles for an inactive font
rich-combobox-font-disabled | Defines styles for a disabled font

Classes names that define input field representation

Class name | Description
--- | ---
rich-combobox-input | Defines styles for an input field
rich-combobox-input-disabled | Defines styles for an input field in disabled state
rich-combobox-input-inactive | Defines styles for an inactive input field

Classes names that define item representation

Class name | Description
--- | ---
rich-combobox-item | Defines styles for an item
rich-combobox-item-selected | Defines styles for a selected item

Classes names that define button representation

Class name | Description
--- | ---
rich-combobox-button | Defines styles for a button
rich-combobox-button-inactive | Defines styles for an inactive button
rich-combobox-button-disabled | Defines styles for a button in disabled state
rich-combobox-button-hovered | Defines styles for a hovered button
rich-combobox-button-background | Defines styles for a button background
rich-combobox-button-background-disabled | Defines styles for a disabled button background
rich-combobox-button-background-inactive | Defines styles for an inactive button background
rich-combobox-button-pressed-background | Defines styles for a pressed button background
rich-combobox-button-icon | Defines styles for a button icon
rich-combobox-button-icon-inactive | Defines styles for an inactive button icon
rich-combobox-button-icon-disabled | Defines styles for a disabled button icon

Classes names that define shadow representation

Class name | Description
--- | ---
rich-combobox-shadow | Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a shadow
rich-combobox-shadow-tl | Defines styles for a top-left element of a shadow
rich-combobox-shadow-tr | Defines styles for a top-right element of a shadow
rich-combobox-shadow-bl | Defines styles for a bottom-left element of a shadow
rich-combobox-shadow-br | Defines styles for a bottom-right element of a shadow

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:comboBox> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:

    ...
    .rich-combobox-list-decoration{
            background-color:#ecf4fe;
    }
    ...

This is a result:

Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example background color for popup list was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:comboBox> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:comboBox> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:

    ...
    .myClass{
            font-weight:bold;
    }
    ...

The "listClass" attribute for <rich:comboBox> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:

    <rich:comboBox ... listClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Redefinition styles with own classes and "styleClass" attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the font weight for items was changed.

## Relevant Resources Links

On RichFaces LiveDemo page you can see an example of <rich:comboBox> usage and sources for the given example.