Lightning

Create Multi Select Combobox / picklist in Lightning Salesforce

cafeforce
cafeforce 11.1k Views 26 comments
Multi Select Combobox Picklist Lightning

Multi Select Combobox lightning component is easy to create and works for both single select and multi select.

Contents
Multi Select Combobox component Features:Demo GIF:Step-1: Create the MultiSelectCombobox ComponentStep-2: Now we will call the component.

Lightning comes with many pre-built components that are easy to use but still many components are missing by date. One of them is the multi-select Combobox/picklist component. We will create this within a single component without using any child component or event. You can find the complete source code in this post.

Multi Select Combobox component Features:

  • Single component
  • Options attribute to pass List
  • Option to switch between Single Select and Multi Select.
  • Separate attributes for single and multi select to get selected values.
  • search functionality to filter options
  • Option to set the minimum character to start searching
  • Ability to set the label of combobox
  • combobox disable functionality

Demo GIF:

Single Select Combobox:

Multi Select Combobox Lightning

Multi Select Combobox:

Multi Select Picklist Lightning

Also, Check:
To create a multi-select Combobox in LWC, check out: Multi-Select LWC Combobox

Step-1: Create the MultiSelectCombobox Component

For creating a new lightning component navigate to Developer Console > File > New > Lightning Component

Enter Name & Description and click Submit. Now component markup file will open y default. In the right sidebar, click on Controller, Helper, and Style to create those files too.

Now since all the files are created, we will write markup for our component. I have used standard (Salesforce Lightning Design System) SLDS here for styling.

Markup for MultiSelectCombobox.cmp

MultiSelectCombobox.cmp
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<!-- Code by CafeForce || www.cafeforce.com || support@cafeforce.com || Mandatory Header -->
 
<aura:component>
 
<!-- Attributes that can be set while component calling-->
    <aura:attribute name="options" type="string" default="" required="true" />
    <aura:attribute name="value" type="String" default="" description="Selected value in single Select" />
    <aura:attribute name="values" type="List"   default="" description="Selected value in Multi Select" />
    <aura:attribute name="label" type="string" default="" description="Label will be displayed above input Box" />
    <aura:attribute name="minChar" type="Integer" default="1" description="Minimum character to type for search" />
    <aura:attribute name="disabled" type="Boolean" default="false" description="Disable the combobox" />
    <aura:attribute name="multiSelect" type="Boolean" default="false" description="Switch between single and multiSelect" />
 
    <!-- Internal Use Attributes -->
    <aura:handler name="init" value="{!this}" action="{!c.doInit}"/>
    <aura:attribute name="searchString"   type="string" access="private" default="" description="String to search"/>
    <aura:attribute name="message"   type="String" access="private" default="" />
 
    <!-- Component Markup -->
    <div>
        <aura:if isTrue="{!!empty(v.label)}">
<label class="slds-form-element__label">{!v.label}</label>
        </aura:if>
        <div class="slds-combobox_container">
            <div class="slds-combobox slds-dropdown-trigger slds-dropdown-trigger_click slds-is-open" aura:id="resultsDiv" aria-expanded="true" aria-haspopup="listbox" role="combobox">
                <div class="slds-combobox__form-element slds-input-has-icon slds-input-has-icon_right" role="none">
                    <lightning:input disabled="{!v.disabled}" aura:id="inputLookup" class="inputBox" placeholder="Select an Option" onblur="{!c.blurEvent}" onclick="{!c.showOptions}" onkeyup="{!c.filterOptions}" value="{!v.searchString}" autoComplete="off" variant="label-hidden" id="combobox-id-1" />
                    <lightning:icon class="slds-input__icon" iconName="utility:down" size="x-small" alternativeText="search"/>
                </div>
                <!-- Dropdown List -->
                <div id="listbox-id-1" class="slds-dropdown slds-dropdown_length-5 slds-dropdown_fluid" style="{! 'max-height:' + (8 + (v.recordCount * 40)) + 'px' }">
                    <ul class="slds-listbox slds-listbox_vertical recordListBox" role="presentation">
                        <aura:if isTrue="{!empty(v.message)}" >
                            <!-- To display Drop down List -->
                            <aura:iteration items="{!v.options}" var="option" >
                                <aura:if isTrue="{!option.disabled}">
                                    <li class="{!'slds-listbox__item disabledItem' + if(option.isVisible,'',' slds-hide')}">
                                        <span class="slds-media slds-listbox__option_entity verticalAlign slds-truncate">{!option.label}</span>
                                    </li>
                                    <aura:set attribute="else">
                                        <li id="{!option.value}" class="{!'slds-listbox__item eachItem' + if(option.isVisible,'',' slds-hide')}" onmousedown="{!c.selectItem}">
                                            <lightning:icon class="{!if(option.selected,'','slds-hide')}" iconName="utility:check" size="x-small" alternativeText="icon" />
                                            <span class="slds-media slds-listbox__option_entity verticalAlign slds-truncate">{!option.label}</span>
                                        </li>
                                    </aura:set>
                                </aura:if>
                            </aura:iteration>
                            <!-- To display Error Message -->
                            <aura:set attribute="else">
                                <li class="slds-listbox__item">
                                    <span class="slds-media slds-listbox__option_entity verticalAlign slds-truncate">{!v.message}</span>
                                </li>
                            </aura:set>
                        </aura:if>
                    </ul>
                </div>
            </div>
        </div>
        <aura:iteration items="{!v.options}" var="option">
            <aura:if isTrue="{!option.selected}">
             <lightning:pill class="slds-m-around_xx-small" name="{!option.value}" label="{!option.label}" onremove="{!c.removePill}"/>
            </aura:if>
        </aura:iteration>
</div>
</aura:component>
<!--
Code by CafeForce
Website: http://www.cafeforce.com
DO NOT REMOVE THIS HEADER/FOOTER FOR FREE CODE USAGE
-->
 

Now open the controller file MultiSelectComboboxController.js and paste the below code.

MultiSelectComboboxController.js
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({
    // To prepopulate the seleted value pill if value attribute is filled
doInit : function( component, event, helper ) {
        helper.doInitHelper(component);
},
 
    // When a keyword is entered in search box
filterOptions : function( component, event, helper ) {
        if( !$A.util.isEmpty(component.get('v.searchString')) ) {
    helper.filterOptionsHelper(component);
        } else {
            $A.util.removeClass(component.find('resultsDiv'),'slds-is-open');
        }
},
 
    // When an item is selected
selectItem : function( component, event, helper ) {
        if(!$A.util.isEmpty(event.currentTarget.id)) {
            helper.selectItemHelper(component, event);
        }
},
    
    showOptions : function( component, event, helper ) {
        var disabled = component.get("v.disabled");
        if(!disabled) {
         component.set("v.message", '');
            component.set('v.searchString', '');
            var options = component.get("v.options");
            options.forEach( function(element,index) {
                element.isVisible = true;
            });
            component.set("v.options", options);
            if(!$A.util.isEmpty(component.get('v.options'))) {
                $A.util.addClass(component.find('resultsDiv'),'slds-is-open');
            }
        }
},
 
    // To remove the selected item.
removePill : function( component, event, helper ){
        helper.removePillHelper(component, event);
    },
 
    // To close the dropdown if clicked outside the dropdown.
    blurEvent : function( component, event, helper ){
        helper.blurEventHelper(component, event);
    },
})
/*
Code by CafeForce
Website: http://www.cafeforce.com
DO NOT REMOVE THIS HEADER/FOOTER FOR FREE CODE USAGE
*/
 

Open the helper file MultiSelectComboboxHelper.js and paste the below code.

MultiSelectComboboxHelper.js
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({
    doInitHelper : function(component) {
        $A.util.toggleClass(component.find('resultsDiv'),'slds-is-open');
        var value = component.get('v.value');
        var values = component.get('v.values');
if( !$A.util.isEmpty(value) || !$A.util.isEmpty(values) ) {
            var searchString;
         var count = 0;
            var multiSelect = component.get('v.multiSelect');
var options = component.get('v.options');
            options.forEach( function(element, index) {
                if(multiSelect) {
                    if(values.includes(element.value)) {
                        element.selected = true;
                        count++;
                    }  
                } else {
                    if(element.value == value) {
                        searchString = element.label;
                    }
                }
            });
            if(multiSelect)
                component.set('v.searchString', count + ' options selected');
            else
                component.set('v.searchString', searchString);
            component.set('v.options', options);
}
    },
    
    filterOptionsHelper : function(component) {
        component.set("v.message", '');
        var searchText = component.get('v.searchString');
var options = component.get("v.options");
var minChar = component.get('v.minChar');
if(searchText.length >= minChar) {
            var flag = true;
options.forEach( function(element,index) {
                if(element.label.toLowerCase().trim().startsWith(searchText.toLowerCase().trim())) {
element.isVisible = true;
                    flag = false;
                } else {
element.isVisible = false;
                }
});
component.set("v.options",options);
            if(flag) {
                component.set("v.message", "No results found for '" + searchText + "'");
            }
}
        $A.util.addClass(component.find('resultsDiv'),'slds-is-open');
},
    
    selectItemHelper : function(component, event) {
        var options = component.get('v.options');
        var multiSelect = component.get('v.multiSelect');
        var searchString = component.get('v.searchString');
        var values = component.get('v.values') || [];
        var value;
        var count = 0;
        options.forEach( function(element, index) {
            if(element.value === event.currentTarget.id) {
                if(multiSelect) {
                    if(values.includes(element.value)) {
                        values.splice(values.indexOf(element.value), 1);
                    } else {
                        values.push(element.value);
                    }
                    element.selected = element.selected ? false : true;  
                } else {
                    value = element.value;
                    searchString = element.label;
                }
            }
            if(element.selected) {
                count++;
            }
        });
        component.set('v.value', value);
        component.set('v.values', values);
        component.set('v.options', options);
        if(multiSelect)
            component.set('v.searchString', count + ' options selected');
        else
            component.set('v.searchString', searchString);
        if(multiSelect)
            event.preventDefault();
        else
         $A.util.removeClass(component.find('resultsDiv'),'slds-is-open');
    },
    
    removePillHelper : function(component, event) {
        var value = event.getSource().get('v.name');
        var multiSelect = component.get('v.multiSelect');
        var count = 0;
        var options = component.get("v.options");
        var values = component.get('v.values') || [];
        options.forEach( function(element, index) {
            if(element.value === value) {
                element.selected = false;
                values.splice(values.indexOf(element.value), 1);
            }
            if(element.selected) {
                count++;
            }
        });
        if(multiSelect)
         component.set('v.searchString', count + ' options selected');
        component.set('v.values', values)
        component.set("v.options", options);
    },
    
    blurEventHelper : function(component, event) {
        var selectedValue = component.get('v.value');
        var multiSelect = component.get('v.multiSelect');
        var previousLabel;
        var count = 0;
        var options = component.get("v.options");
        options.forEach( function(element, index) {
            if(element.value === selectedValue) {
                previousLabel = element.label;
            }
            if(element.selected) {
                count++;
            }
        });
        if(multiSelect)
         component.set('v.searchString', count + ' options selected');
        else
         component.set('v.searchString', previousLabel);
        
     if(multiSelect)
         $A.util.removeClass(component.find('resultsDiv'),'slds-is-open');
    }
})
/*
Code by CafeForce
Website: http://www.cafeforce.com
DO NOT REMOVE THIS HEADER/FOOTER FOR FREE CODE USAGE
*/
 

Finally paste the CSS in MultiSelectCombobox.css file.

MultiSelectCombobox.css
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.THIS .verticalAlign {
cursor: pointer;
    padding: 0px 5px !important;
}
.THIS .slds-dropdown {
    padding:0px !important;
}
.THIS .fullWidth {
width: 100% !important;
}
.THIS .disabledItem {
    color: #bbb;
    cursor: no-drop;
}
.THIS .recordListBox {
margin-top:0px !important;
overflow-y: scroll;
}
.THIS .slds-listbox li {
    padding: .45rem 0.7rem !important;
    display: flex;
}
.THIS .inputBox input {
padding-left: 10px;
}
.THIS .eachItem:hover {
    background-color: #F1F1F1;
    cursor: pointer;
}
.THIS .inputIcon {
z-index: 99;
    padding: 2px 0;
}
 
/* For Scrolling */
.THIS ::-webkit-scrollbar {
    width: 7px;
    height: 7px;
}
.THIS ::-webkit-scrollbar-track {
   display: none !important;
}
.THIS ::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb {
    border-radius: 10px;
    background: rgba(0,0,0,0.4);
}
 

Step-2: Now we will call the component.

For Single Select:

For Single Select Combobox
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<!-- Code by CafeForce || www.cafeforce.com || support@cafeforce.com -->
<aura:component>
 
    <aura:attribute name="options" type="List" default="[{'label':'Bob','value':'123'},
                                                         {'label':'Shubham','value':'234'},
                                                         {'label':'Chrissey','value':'345'},
                                                         {'label':'Jessica','value':'456','disabled': true},
                                                         {'label':'Sunny','value':'567'}]" />
    <aura:attribute name="selectedValue" type="String" default="" description="Selected value in single Select" />
 
    <c:MultiSelectCombobox options="{!v.options}" value="{!v.selectedValue}" label="Single Select Combobox"/>
 
</aura:component>
 

multi select picklist lightning

For Multi Select:

For Multi Select Combobox
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<!-- Code by CafeForce || www.cafeforce.com || support@cafeforce.com -->
<aura:component>
 
    <aura:attribute name="options" type="List" default="[{'label':'Bob','value':'123'},
                                                         {'label':'Shubham','value':'234'},
                                                         {'label':'Chrissey','value':'345'},
                                                         {'label':'Jessica','value':'456','disabled': true},
                                                         {'label':'Sunny','value':'567'}]" />
    <aura:attribute name="selectedValues" type="List" default="" description="Selected value in Multi Select" />
 
    <c:MultiSelectCombobox options="{!v.options}" values="{!v.selectedValues}" multiSelect="true" label="Multi Select Combobox"/>
 
</aura:component>
 

Finally, our component is ready to use. Now while calling this component, you need to pass the options list and attribute in which selected value will be stored. You can also set the additional attributes and switch between single and multi select component.

How to pass the data (Option list format):

Data should be passed as Object List in the form of label and value.

Eg: [{‘label’: ‘University of Texas’, ‘value’:’UTT112′}]

To disable a value in the list:

To disable a particular element in the options list, simply add ‘disabled’: true in that element object.

selected value in multi select combobox

multi select picklist dropdown

Also, Check:

To create a single-select custom lookup, check out: Custom Lookup Lightning Component

To create a Multi Select Lookup component, check out: Multi Select Lookup Lightning

For any queries or suggestions regarding this post, comment below:
Cheers … 🙂

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Rishika

Hi,
Using the above component, i am able select multiple picklist values…but pre populating them is a issue for me.
Could you please explain that as well?

Reply
cafeforce

Hi Rishika,

Thanks for your query. If you are using multiSelect attribute as true (Multi select combobox). You just have to pass list of values to prepopulate in the values attribute.
Eg – values=”[‘123’, ‘234’]”

Reply
B N

Hi,

How to get the Selected Values in Parent Component, There is either Application or Component Event Declared in your Component.

Reply
cafeforce

Hi Dear,

You can get list of Ids of selected values in the ‘values’ attribute. This attribute has dual behavior. To prepopulate values or to get selected values list. There is no event fired right now.

Reply
Shaikh

Hi,
I used above component for multi select picklist, i passed values it is showing my values currectly which is fine, but on selecting a value i am getting error “This page has an error. You might just need to refresh it. First, would you give us some details? (We’re reporting this as error ID: -2081392871)”
I checked by debugging “selectItemHelper” helper method i can see selected values currectly but I don’t why that error is occuring each time i select value.
Please help on this.

Reply
cafeforce

Hi Shaikh,

Can you please tell me how you are passing the data or can you please share the component calling and data passing code here. Besides, try using try-catch and console the issue.

Reply
Fatih BERBER

It has a call to event.preventDefault();, But the function hasn’t ‘event’ parameter so I get an ‘[NoErrorObjectAvailable] Script error.’ error message. The function Helper => blurEventHelper function.

blurEventHelper : function(component) Transform to blurEventHelper : function(component,event)

Reply
cafeforce

Hi Fatih,

You caught the error buddy. Thanks for the Help! Appreciated 🙂

Reply
Kirit

Hi,
It is working for me. How can i use event on this?

Last edited 4 years ago by Kirit
Reply
cafeforce

Hi Kirit,

Create your own component type event and register it in the component file of the component where you declare attributes.

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<aura:registerEvent name="cmpEvent" type="c:componentEvent"/>
 

After registering the event, fire this event from the ‘selectItemHelper’ function of Helper class.

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var cmpEvent = component.getEvent("cmpEvent");
cmpEvent.setParams({ "selectedValues" : values });
cmpEvent.fire();
 

Reply
Amol

How can we use 2 multiselect picklists in one lightening component?

Reply
cafeforce

Hi Amol, you can use this component twice in your lightning component.

Reply
Ravi

how to disable any of these options by using controller js.

Reply
cafeforce

Hi Ravi,

You just need to set attribute disabled = true in the list which you are binding to component.
Eg-

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[{'label':'Chrissey','value':'345'},
{'label':'Jessica','value':'456','disabled': true},
{'label':'Sunny','value':'567'}]
 

Reply
kiarn

hi,
can u pls explain how can i pass dynamic list instead of default hadcoding values and labels

Reply
cafeforce

Hi Kiarn,

You can dynamically create the options list. Just iterate your dataset and push the data into a list type variable and bind that variable to the options attribute this way.

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var options = [];
for(var i = 0; i < dataList.length; i++) {
    options.push({'label':dataList[i], 'value': dataList[i]});
}
component.set('v.options', options);
 

Reply
sara

Hello I want to call the answers from My apex class and to use them in the multiselect to show a list of persons who are related to the choices that exists in the options of the multiselect but I dont know how to do that

Reply
cafeforce

Hi Sara,

You can create a List of String in Apex and send it to your lightning component. In lightning Controller/Helper, iterate your list and push the data into the list type variable.

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var options = [];
for(var i = 0; i < persons.length; i++) {
    options.push({'label':persons[i], 'value': persons[i]});
}
component.set('v.options', options);
 

Reply
sara

Hi Suyash Thank you for you answer but Iwas talking about after getting dynamic options and selecting one option between the options of the dynamic list how to use it and show the apex response related to each selected option.
I need to show a list of things each time I select an option in the multiselect.
Thank you

Reply
cafeforce

Hi Sara,

The simple way is to fire an event from selectItemHelper method of Helper class on selecting a value. Handle that event in your parent component and fetch data back from Apex against that selected value.

Reply
Aravind

Hii,

While Using the above Component Iam getting an Error like

Uncaught Action failed: c:MultiSelectCombobox$controller$blurEvent [Cannot read properties of undefined (reading ‘value’)]

Can You help me with this

Reply
cafeforce

Hi Aravind,

Try to see data by adding consoles. You will be able to find which variables are having a null value in the blurEventHelper method.

Reply
Arian Fetahaj

Hi Suyash. Very great work here which I have been using in one of my pages for over a year already. I modified it a little to accommodate some further requirements. Only suggestion that I’d have is that you cannot really populate the pills (in Multi Select) dynamically right now (e.i. if you build a feature where you can store and re-use your filters) because the “.selected” attribute of the options (that you iterate through in aura) is only turned true during the selectItem function which obviously is not executed when you set the values from the outside. Thanks and have a good day!

Reply
cafeforce

Hi Arian,

Apologies for the delay. Very Thanks for your appreciation.
Yes, I got your point. I will add the feature soon to pre-populate the values during load.

Reply
Rohit J Hooli

I tried using this component as a child component on another Form component, used 8 of these child components but the problem is, when two child components are using the same options, then the values are duplicated on the second child even when none of them are selected on the second child component.

Reply
cafeforce

Hi Rohit,

When you are fetching options from the backend, please check if you are binding data to the same variable twice as you are using the same variable in options.

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