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JavaScript/jQuery DropDownBox Methods

This section describes members used to manipulate data.

beginUpdate()

Prevents the widget from refreshing until the endUpdate() method is called.

The beginUpdate() and endUpdate() methods prevent the widget from excessive updates when you are changing multiple widget settings at once. After the beginUpdate() method is called, the widget does not update its UI until the endUpdate() method is called.

See Also

blur()

Removes focus from the input element.

See Also

close()

Closes the drop-down editor.

See Also

content()

Gets the popup window's content.

Return Value:

HTMLElement | jQuery

An HTML element or a jQuery element when you use jQuery.

See Also

defaultOptions(rule)

Specifies the device-dependent default configuration options for this component.

Parameters:
rule:

Object

The component's default device options.

Object structure:
Name Type Description
device

Device

|

Array<Device>

|

Function

Device parameters.
When specifying a function, get information about the current device from the argument. Return true if the options should be applied to the device.

options

Object

Options to be applied.

defaultOptions is a static method that the widget class supports. The following code demonstrates how to specify default options for all instances of the DropDownBox widget in an application executed on the desktop.

jQuery
JavaScript
DevExpress.ui.dxDropDownBox.defaultOptions({ 
    device: { deviceType: "desktop" },
    options: {
        // Here go the DropDownBox options
    }
});
Angular
TypeScript
import DropDownBox from "devextreme/ui/drop_down_box";
// ...
export class AppComponent {
    constructor () {
        DropDownBox.defaultOptions({
            device: { deviceType: "desktop" },
            options: {
                // Here go the DropDownBox options
            }
        });
    }
}
Vue
<template>
    <div>
        <DxDropDownBox id="dropDownBox1" />
        <DxDropDownBox id="dropDownBox2" />
    </div>
</template>
<script>
import DxDropDownBox from "devextreme-vue/drop-down-box";
import DropDownBox from "devextreme/ui/drop_down_box";

DropDownBox.defaultOptions({
    device: { deviceType: "desktop" },
    options: {
        // Here go the DropDownBox options
    }
});

export default {
    components: {
        DxDropDownBox
    }
}
</script>
React
import React from "react";
import dxDropDownBox from "devextreme/ui/drop_down_box";
import DropDownBox from "devextreme-react/drop-down-box";

class App extends React.Component {
    render () {
        dxDropDownBox.defaultOptions({
            device: { deviceType: "desktop" },
            options: {
                // Here go the DropDownBox options
            }
        })
        return (
            <div>
                <DropDownBox id="dropDownBox1" />
                <DropDownBox id="dropDownBox2" />
            </div>
        )
    }
}

export default App;

dispose()

Disposes of all the resources allocated to the DropDownBox instance.

After calling this method, remove the DOM element associated with the widget:

JavaScript
$("#myDropDownBox").dxDropDownBox("dispose");
$("#myDropDownBox").remove();

Use this method only if the widget was created with jQuery or pure JavaScript. In Angular, Vue, and React, use conditional rendering:

Angular
app.component.html
<dx-drop-down-box ...
    *ngIf="condition">
</dx-drop-down-box>
Vue
App.vue
<template>
    <DxDropDownBox ...
        v-if="condition">
    </DxDropDownBox>
</template>

<script>
import DxDropDownBox from 'devextreme-vue/drop-down-box';

export default {
    components: {
        DxDropDownBox
    }
}
</script>
React
App.js
import React from 'react';

import DropDownBox from 'devextreme-react/drop-down-box';

function DxDropDownBox(props) {
    if (!props.shouldRender) {
        return null;
    }

    return (
        <DropDownBox ... >    
        </DropDownBox>
    );
}

class App extends React.Component {
    render() {
        return (
            <DxDropDownBox shouldRender="condition" />
        );
    }
}
export default App;
See Also

element()

Gets the root widget element.

Return Value:

HTMLElement | jQuery

An HTML element or a jQuery element when you use jQuery.

See Also

endUpdate()

Refreshes the widget after a call of the beginUpdate() method.

Main article: beginUpdate()

See Also

field()

Gets the widget's <input> element.

Return Value:

HTMLElement | jQuery

An HTML element or a jQuery element when you use jQuery.

See Also

focus()

Sets focus to the input element representing the widget.

See Also

getButton(name)

Gets an instance of a custom action button.

Parameters:
name:

String

The button's name.

Return Value:

Button

| undefined

The Button widget's instance.

Use the returned button instance to call the Button widget's methods, for example, focus():

jQuery
index.js
var myCustomButton = $("#dropDownBoxContainer").dxDropDownBox("getButton", "myCustomButton");
myCustomButton.focus();
Angular
app.component.ts
app.component.html
import { Component, ViewChild } from '@angular/core';
import { DxDropDownBoxComponent } from 'devextreme-angular';

@Component({
    selector: 'app-root',
    templateUrl: './app.component.html',
    styleUrls: ['./app.component.css']
})
export class AppComponent {
    @ViewChild('dropDownBoxRef', { static: false }) dropDownBox: DxDropDownBoxComponent;
    // Prior to Angular 8
    // @ViewChild('dropDownBoxRef') dropDownBox: DxDropDownBoxComponent;

    setFocus() {
        this.dropDownBox.instance.getButton('myCustomButton').focus();
    }
}
<dx-drop-down-box #dropDownBoxRef ... >
</dx-drop-down-box>
Vue
App.vue
<template>
    <DxDropDownBox ...
        :ref="dropDownBoxRef">
    </DxDropDownBox>
</template>

<script>
import 'devextreme/dist/css/dx.common.css';
import 'devextreme/dist/css/dx.light.css';

import DxDropDownBox from 'devextreme-vue/drop-down-box';

export default {
    components: {
        DxDropDownBox
    },

    data() {
        return {
            dropDownBoxRef
        }
    },

    methods: {
        setFocus() {
            this.dropDownBox.getButton('myCustomButton').focus();
        }
    },

    computed: {
        dropDownBox: function() {
            return this.$refs[dropDownBoxRef].instance;
        }
    }
}
</script>
React
App.js
import React from 'react';

import 'devextreme/dist/css/dx.common.css';
import 'devextreme/dist/css/dx.light.css';

import DropDownBox from 'devextreme-react/drop-down-box';

class App extends React.Component {
    constructor(props) {
        super(props);

        this.dropDownBoxRef = React.createRef();

        this.setFocus = () => {
            this.dropDownBox.getButton('myCustomButton').focus();
        };
    }

    get dropDownBox() {
        return this.dropDownBoxRef.current.instance;
    }

    render() {
        return (
            <DropDownBox ...
                ref={this.dropDownBoxRef}>
            </DropDownBox>
        );
    }
}
export default App;

getDataSource()

Gets the DataSource instance.

Return Value:

DataSource

The DataSource instance.

NOTE
This method returns the DataSource instance even if the widget's dataSource option was given a simple array.
See Also

getInstance(element)

Gets the instance of a widget found using its DOM node.

Parameters:
element:

Element

|

jQuery

The widget's container.

Return Value:

Object

The widget's instance.

getInstance is a static method that the widget class supports. The following code demonstrates how to get the DropDownBox instance found in an element with the myDropDownBox ID:

// Modular approach
import DropDownBox from "devextreme/ui/drop_down_box";
...
let element = document.getElementById("myDropDownBox");
let instance = DropDownBox.getInstance(element) as DropDownBox;

// Non-modular approach
let element = document.getElementById("myDropDownBox");
let instance = DevExpress.ui.dxDropDownBox.getInstance(element);
See Also

instance()

Gets the widget's instance. Use it to access other methods of the widget.

Return Value:

DropDownBox

This widget's instance.

See Also

off(eventName)

Detaches all event handlers from a single event.

Parameters:
eventName:

String

The event's name.

Return Value:

DropDownBox

The object for which this method is called.

See Also

off(eventName, eventHandler)

Detaches a particular event handler from a single event.

Parameters:
eventName:

String

The event's name.

eventHandler:

Function

The event's handler.

Return Value:

DropDownBox

The object for which this method is called.

See Also

on(eventName, eventHandler)

Subscribes to an event.

Parameters:
eventName:

String

The event's name.

eventHandler:

Function

The event's handler.

Return Value:

DropDownBox

The object for which this method is called.

Use this method to subscribe to one of the events listed in the Events section.

See Also

on(events)

Subscribes to events.

Parameters:
events:

Object

Events with their handlers: { "eventName1": handler1, "eventName2": handler2, ...}

Return Value:

DropDownBox

The object for which this method is called.

Use this method to subscribe to several events with one method call. Available events are listed in the Events section.

See Also

open()

Opens the drop-down editor.

See Also

option()

Gets all widget options.

Return Value:

Object

The widget's options.

option(optionName)

Gets the value of a single option.

Parameters:
optionName:

String

The option's name or full path.

Return Value: any

This option's value.

option(optionName, optionValue)

Updates the value of a single option.

Parameters:
optionName:

String

The option's name or full path.

optionValue: any

This option's new value.

option(options)

Updates the values of several options.

Parameters:
options:

Object

Options with their new values.

registerKeyHandler(key, handler)

Registers a handler to be executed when a user presses a specific key.

Parameters:
key:

String

A key.

handler:

Function

A handler. Accepts the keydown event as the argument. It is a dxEvent or a jQuery.Event when you use jQuery.

The key argument accepts one of the following values:

  • "backspace"
  • "tab"
  • "enter"
  • "escape"
  • "pageUp"
  • "pageDown"
  • "end"
  • "home"
  • "leftArrow"
  • "upArrow"
  • "rightArrow"
  • "downArrow"
  • "del"
  • "space"
  • "F"
  • "A"
  • "asterisk"
  • "minus"

A custom handler for a key cancels the default handler for this key.

See Also

repaint()

Repaints the widget without reloading data. Call it to update the widget's markup.

See Also

reset()

Resets the value option to the default value.

See Also

resetOption(optionName)

Resets an option to its default value.

Parameters:
optionName:

String

An option's name.

See Also