Autocomplete needs user to delete placeholder text before typing

[timgdavies]

When I click the drop-down to a list, I can't just start typing to clear the placeholder. I have to first hit backspace, then start typing.

This isn't a very intuitive behaviour.

[andylolz]

This is particularly relevant for giant country list. I did not figure out the backspace trick (typing other characters has no apparent effect so it didn’t occur to me to try) and found this infuriating.

Thanks for pointing out the backspace hack, @timgdavies!

[timgdavies]

Infuriation is not an experience we want. Ok - will investigate for fixes more urgently...

[andylolz]

Infuriation is not an experience we want

Haha, ‘infuriating’ was a bad choice of words! I think I’m the same as Tom Steinberg on this: “Bad usability makes me grumpy and judgmental”! Apologies.

Looking at the selectize.js site, this looks like default behaviour. It also appears to have been reported here (and I’d bet that’s a duplicate.)

I usually use chosen for this sort of thing (mentioned on the selectize.js homepage.) Apparently selectize has “a few advantages” over chosen, but I’m not sure what they are. Would you consider switching?

Btw, here’s a super weird selectize bug! Characters disappear from list options:

[timgdavies]

@andylolz Certainly would consider switching. @rbika might be able to highlight a particular reasons for the selectize choice.

Flagging this also for @ccmdesign as a snagging issue.

[rbika]

Agree with you guys. I thought Selectize would be a good choice but. I wasn't aware of these problems. I'll give a look at Chosen. Does anyone have another suggestion?

[andylolz]

Does anyone have another suggestion?

select2 is the other popular choice. It’s possible it’s just down to which is simplest to re-skin (but I’m afraid I don’t know the answer to that.)

[Bjwebb]

Now using Chosen on http://org-id.guide/, which looks like it solves the problems.

[andylolz]

Really nice. Thanks!