Dynamically Update HTML Datalist Based on Select Box Value Using Google Apps Script

Описание: Learn how to efficiently update your HTML datalist based on the selected state in a dropdown using Google Apps Script and JavaScript.
---
This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/64057831/ asked by the user 'SandA' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/9550539/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/64057900/ provided by the user 'SandA' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/9550539/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

Visit these links for original content and any more details, such as alternate solutions, latest updates/developments on topic, comments, revision history etc. For example, the original title of the Question was: Update HTML datalist based on select box value - Google Apps/javascript

Also, Content (except music) licensed under CC BY-SA https://meta.stackexchange.com/help/l...
The original Question post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... ) license, and the original Answer post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... ) license.

If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com.
---
How to Dynamically Update HTML Datalist Based on Select Box Value Using Google Apps Script

As you dive deeper into web development, you'll find that integrating front-end technologies like HTML and JavaScript with back-end functionalities like Google Apps Script can be a bit challenging, especially when dealing with dynamic data. One common scenario is needing to update a HTML datalist based on a user's selection in a dropdown (select box). In this post, we’ll walk through how to achieve this in a Google Apps Script environment.

Understanding the Problem

Imagine you're building a form where users can select their state from a dropdown and then choose their suburb from an input box. The suburbs available should change depending on which state is selected. In essence, you want to create a responsive user experience where the datalist updates dynamically according to the user's selection.

For instance:

If the user selects State A, the suburb options might include "A", "B", "C".

If the user selects State B, the suburb options would then need to change to "D", "E", "F".

To grasp this implementation effectively, let’s break it down step-by-step, including code examples and explanations.

Step-by-Step Solution

1. Setting Up the HTML Structure

First, ensure you have a simple HTML structure similar to the one below. This includes a select box for states and an input field that utilizes a datalist for suburbs.

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Here, we included a select element and an input element that references a datalist. The onchange event on the select box triggers the JavaScript function that updates the suburb options dynamically.

2. Writing the JavaScript Function

Next up, let's write the JavaScript function that will retrieve the correct suburbs based on the selected state. You'll use Google Apps Script to fetch this data, but you'll also need to make sure you handle that data properly upon receipt.

Here’s the updated JavaScript code:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Explanation of the Code

get_suburbs() Function: This function is called whenever the select box changes. It retrieves the selected state and calls the Google Apps Script function query_suburbs to get the corresponding suburbs.

withSuccessHandler: This is critical as it sets up a handler that will be called when the query_suburbs function successfully returns data.

update_list(suburbs) Function: This function processes the array of suburbs returned from the server.

Clearing the existing options in the datalist before appending new ones ensures that outdated choices do not remain.

3. Google Apps Script Query Function

You need a function to fetch the suburbs from your Google Sheet according to the selected state. Here's a simplified version of what that function might look like:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can create an interactive form that enhances user experience by updating the datalist dynamically based on the selected state. If you’re new to JavaScript or Google Apps Script, don't be discouraged! Practice will make you proficient.

Feel free to reach out in the comments if you have any questions or need further assistance!