Select Drop-down

A Select Drop-down control is used to create select elements (sometimes called pick-lists).

Select Drop-Down Settings

General Settings

Accessible Name

The visual label that appears on the button.

This value must be a meaningful label for the control. In addition, there must be a visible label in the underlying screen shot that matches this name.

Width/Height/Top/Left

Controls the size of the control and position of the control on the screen.

Tip

With the control selected and focused in the Editing Canvas, you can press the right, left, up or down arrows to nudge the control one pixel in the direction pressed.

Holding the control key while pressing one of the arrows will resize the control in the direction pressed by one pixel.

Holding shift will cause the nudge or resize to scale by 10 pixels instead of 1.

Options

The list of options that appear in the drop down. You can add new options by entering your option label the text input and then pressing the Add button. Options appear in the list with behavior similar to both the Screen and control list: You can delete an option by clicking the trash can icon, or move the option up or down in the list using the up and down chevrons. Options, however, cannot be edited; If you need to change the label on an option, you will need to delete and re-create it.

You can add a blank option by clicking the Add button with no text in the text label input. The item will display as [ blank ] in the list, but will appear as an empty option to the learner.

Values

Default Value

The value of the control when the learner first arrives at the screen.

Required Value

The value of the control that learner must provide for the control to be evaluated as correct.

Feedback Hint

The hint text that appears in the error dialog if the user enters the value in this control incorrectly.

Font

While these properties generally work fine, the underlying operating system may not allow font properties to be set on a select element when delivered to the learner. Be sure to test the simulation on your client’s targeted platforms.

Font Family

Type of font used. Available options are Sans Serif, Serif and Console.

Font Size

The font size in pixels. Values can be between 10 and 18 pixels.

Font Weight

Either normal weight or bold

Font Style

Either normal or italic font.

Font Color

The hex color of the font. Clicking the swatch for the color will open a color picker dialog allowing you to choose the color visually.

Box

While these properties generally work fine, the underlying operating system may not allow box properties to be set on a select element when delivered to the learner. Be sure to test the simulation on your client’s targeted platforms.

Background Color

Sets the background color of the control. Clicking the swatch for the color will open a color picker dialog allowing you to choose the color visually.

Border Style

Sets the type of border used on the control. Options for this setting are Solid (normal),  Inset or Outset (chiseled 3D appearance), dotted, dashed or none to remove the border entirely.

Border Width

The pixel width of the border. Note that the 3D styles will be nearly invisible unless the width is set to 2 or greater.

Border Radius

Allows the borders on the control to be rounded by the value specified. A value of 0 will create square corners.

Border Color

The color of the border. Using a 3D style disables this option (as the effect determines the color). Clicking the swatch for the color will open a color picker dialog allowing you to choose the color visually.

Trigger

Trigger Style

Sets icon on the drop-down’s trigger. Options are Classic (a triangle, used in older windows systems), Modern (up/down triangles used in modern browsers), and Default, which removes all styling from the trigger itself and allows the browser to render the trigger. Using the Default option will disable all trigger stying.

Trigger Icon Color

Sets the color trigger icon. Clicking the swatch for the color will open a color picker dialog allowing you to choose the color visually.

Trigger Background Color

Sets the background color of the trigger box. Clicking the swatch for the color will open a color picker dialog allowing you to choose the color visually.

Trigger Border Style

Sets the type of border used on the control. Options for this setting are Solid (normal),  Inset or Outset (chiseled 3D appearance), dotted, dashed or none to remove the border entirely.

Trigger Border Width

The pixel width of the border. Note that the 3D styles will be nearly invisible unless the width is set to 2 or greater.

Border Color

The color of the border. Using a 3D style disables this option (as the effect determines the color). Clicking the swatch for the color will open a color picker dialog allowing you to choose the color visually.