[Chapter 21] Reference: Select.onchange()
Author: David Flanagan
Date: Fri Aug 29 11:19:38 1997

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| Chapter 21 JavaScript Reference |

# Select.onchange() Handler

## Name

Select.onchange() Handler---invoked when the selection changes

## Availability

Navigator 2.0, Internet Explorer 3.0

## Synopsis

    <SELECT onChange="handler-statements" ...>  a definition of the handler
    select.onchange   a reference to the handler
    select.onchange();    an explicit invocation of the handler

## Description

The `Select.onchange()` event handler is defined by the `onChange` attribute of the `<SELECT>` HTML tag that defines the Select object. The value of this attribute may be any number of JavaScript statements, separated by semicolons; these statements will be executed whenever the user selects or deselects an option.

## Bugs

In the Windows versions of Navigator 2.0, when the Select object is displayed in its drop-down menu form, the `onchange()` event handler is not invoked immediately after a choice is made; it is not invoked until the user clicks somewhere else on the page. This bug has been fixed in Navigator 3.0.

This is a severe enough bug (on a very common platform) that `onchange()` should be considered nonfunctional in Navigator 2.0. If you require immediate notification of changes, consider replacing your Select object with Checkbox or Radio objects, and using their `onclick()` event handlers.

## See Also

"Option", "Select"

Select.onblur() |  | Select.onfocus()