Selected in select form field won't highlight selected option - php

Question

I have the following PHP function:
function pick ($fieldname, $optionvalues, $defvalue=0, $size=0)
{
$checked = $defvalue;
echo "<select name=\"$fieldname\" size=\"$size\">\n";
foreach ($optionvalues as $value)
echo " <option value = \"$value\" ".
(($value == $checked) ? ' selected ' : '') . "> $value </option>\n";
echo "</select>";
}
When I call it with this:
$vals = array('a','b','c','d','e');
pick ('pick2', $vals, 'c');
it won't highlight c, even though in the page source, it is marked as selected.
My page source is:
<select name="pick2" size="0">
<option value = "a" > a </option>
<option value = "b" > b </option>
<option value = "c" selected > c </option>
<option value = "d" > d </option>
<option value = "e" > e </option>
</select>
If I change call function to:
pick('p',$vals,'c')
It works as it is suppose to.
Can someone explain what is wrong with my function?

Answer 1

change this line
(($value == $checked) ? ' selected ' : '') . "> $value </option>\n";
to
(($value == $checked) ? ' selected="selected" ' : '') . "> $value </option>\n";

Answer 2

The HTML IS valid under HTML 5 standards. It's the way that you are refreshing. If you Click the refresh button or hit F5 the browser will remember your selection. You must "go to" the URL again (ie click the address bar and hit enter)
<?php
function pick ($fieldname, $optionvalues, $defvalue='', $size=0){
$checked = $defvalue;
echo '<select name="'.$fieldname.'">';
foreach($optionvalues as $value){
echo '<option value="'.$value.'"'.($checked==$value?' selected':'').'>'.$value.'</option>';
}
echo '</select>';
}
$vals = array('a','b','c','d','e');
pick ('pick2', $vals, 'c');
Why is the browser remembering your selection?
This is an option that is built into most browsers (Save form history usually in Options). Disabling this should ensure that you always reset the form data to it's "original state". The problem with this is that it leaves the form data in the hands of the end user, which is no good.
It is possible to ensure that it always uses the selected not the last remembered by using the autocomplete attribute:
<select autocomplete="off">