How to set my default option select? - php

Question

I have a theme options page and a loop which grabs my categories. This code works fine and I am able to save my options. The code like this:
function drop_elements_function(){
$my_cats = get_categories();
$i = 1;
foreach( $my_cats as $my_cat ) :
$my_categories[$my_cat->cat_ID] = array(
'value' => $my_cat->cat_ID,
'label' => $my_cat->cat_name
);
$i++;
endforeach;
$options = get_option('sandbox_theme_social_options');
echo'<select id="featured_cat" name="sandbox_theme_social_options[Drop_Elements]">';
foreach ( $my_categories as $category ){
$label = $category['label'];
$selected = '';
if ( $options['Drop_Elements'] == $category['value'] )
$selected = 'selected="selected"';
echo '<option style="padding-right: 10px;" value="' . esc_attr( $category['value'] ) . '" ' . $selected . '>' . $label . '</option>';
}
echo '</select>';
//print_r($options['Drop_Elements']);
}/*Function end*/
The output looks like this:
http://www.vasinternetposao.com/img.png
Problem: Now when my theme is installed for the first time i am getting the output like the screen shot above but obviously my option is not yet saved to the database (user must click the save button in order to select that category). So i was thinking to do something like this:
1.) User install the theme for the first time and then output looks like this:
http://www.vasinternetposao.com/img2.png
2.) If user unintentionally select "Choose your category" and clicks the "save button"
the output will be again:
http://www.vasinternetposao.com/img2.png
3.) If the user select the real category (not "Choose Your Category") then "Choose Your Category" Disappears:
http://www.vasinternetposao.com/img.png
This is my attempt but it is not working:
function drop_elements_function(){
$my_cats = get_categories();
$i = 1;
foreach( $my_cats as $my_cat ) :
$my_categories[$my_cat->cat_ID] = array(
'value' => $my_cat->cat_ID,
'label' => $my_cat->cat_name
);
$i++;
endforeach;
$options = get_option('sandbox_theme_social_options');
echo'<select id="featured_cat" name="sandbox_theme_social_options[Drop_Elements]">';
foreach ( $my_categories as $category ){
$label = $category['label'];
$selected = '';
if ( $options['Drop_Elements'] == $category['value'] ){
$selected = 'selected="selected"';
echo '<option style="padding-right: 10px;" value="' . esc_attr( $category['value'] ) . '" ' . $selected . '>' . $label . '</option>';
}
elseif(!isset($options['Drop_Elements'])){
$selected = 'selected="selected"';
echo '<option selected="selected" value="Choose Your Category">Choose Your Category</option>';
echo '<option style="padding-right: 10px;" value="' . esc_attr( $category['value'] ) . '" ' . '>' . $label . '</option>';
}
}/*Foreach close*/
echo '</select>';
//print_r($options['Drop_Elements']);
}/*Function end*/
Can it be done with PHP? Any help is appreciated! Thank you!

Answer 1

I think what you want to do is something like the following example:
echo '<select id="featured_cat" name="sandbox_theme_social_options[Drop_Elements]">';
echo '<option selected="selected" value="Choose Your Category">Choose Your Category</option>';
foreach ( $my_categories as $category ){
$label = $category['label'];
$selected = ( $options['Drop_Elements'] == $category['value'] ) ? " selected='selected' " : "";
echo '<option style="padding-right: 10px;" value="' . esc_attr( $category['value'] ) . '" ' . $selected . '>' . $label . '</option>';
}
echo "</select>";