BUG: SELECT Element Causes Application Error in Internet Explorer (290717)

SYMPTOMS

If the initial value of a SELECT element is set to null, and if the user selects an invalid option (if the chosen element does not contain an explicitly selected option, or if the chosen element does not point to an option that exists in the script), you may receive the following application error in Internet Explorer:

The instruction @ 0x70e45ed2 referenced at 0x00000022. The memory could not be read.

RESOLUTION

There are two ways to work around this problem:

Add a blank item at the beginning of the SELECT box. Check the value on submission. If the item is a blank item, notify the users that they must make a selection from the list.
Use the SELECTED attribute to leave a default value selected. For example:
```
<OPTION VALUE="3" SELECTED>1</OPTION>
					
```

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

In any HTML editor, copy the following code, and save the file:

<html>
<head>
<script LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT">

function ClearValue() {
	document.form1.select1.value = ""
	document.form1.select1.focus()
}
</script>
</head>

<body LANGUAGE="javascript" onload="ClearValue()">

<form Name="form1" METHOD="post">
<select name="select1">
  <option value='1'>1</option>
  <option value='2'>2</option>
  <option value='3'>3</option>
</select>
</form>

</body>
</html>

Run the new Web page.
With the select box clear, press any key except 1, 2 or 3. You receive the above-mentioned application error.

REFERENCES

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

237831 PRB: Problem Adding New Option to Select Box in Another Frame in Internet Explorer 5

239657 FIX: Removing Non-Visible Items from an HTML SELECT Box Causes General Protection Fault (GPF)

255610 PRB: CreateElement() for SELECT Options Is Slow in Internet Explorer 5

185123 PRB: SELECTED Attribute Not Honored After Refresh

265489 PRB: Approximately 200 or More SELECT Boxes in HTML Causes Slow and Unstable Performance in Windows 95 and Windows 98

For more information about developing Web-based solutions for Microsoft Internet Explorer, visit the following Microsoft Web sites:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/ie/

http://support.microsoft.com/iep