Default option selected from SQL query in drop-down list - php

Question

I want to have a drop-down list have a default value akin to how you would have value="abc" in a text field or similar. The only caveat is that I would like it to be defaulted to where an SQL query points it to. Excuse the long code.
//prior code where table and `foreach()` loop begins
<td>
<input type="text"
value="<?php echo $var["author"]; ?>"
required="required">
</input>
</td>
<td>
<select name="condition"
value="<?php echo $var["condition"]; ?>"
<option>M</option>
<option>NM</option>
<option>E</option>
<option>G</option>
<option>P</option>
</select>
</td>
//subsequent code where table is closed
For the first half, I have a text field of default value $var["author"], because that is what I query before beforehand. For the second, I can't seem to get the same result, due to it being a drop-down menu instead of a text field. If the .sql query brings up "NM", the default value will be "M", always. Any way to do this?

Answer 1

What you want is this:
//prior code where table and `foreach()` loop begins
<td>
<input type="text"
value="<?php echo $var["author"]; ?>"
required="required">
</input>
</td>
<td>
<select name="condition">
<option value="M"<?php echo ($var["condition"] == 'M' ? ' selected="selected"' : ''); ?>>M</option>
<option value="NM"<?php echo ($var["condition"] == 'NM' ? ' selected="selected"' : ''); ?>NM</option>
<option value="E"<?php echo ($var["condition"] == 'E' ? ' selected="selected"' : ''); ?>E</option>
<option value="G"<?php echo ($var["condition"] == 'G' ? ' selected="selected"' : ''); ?>G</option>
<option value="P"<?php echo ($var["condition"] == 'P' ? ' selected="selected"' : ''); ?>P</option>
</select>
</td>
//subsequent code where table is closed
or more elegant:
$dropdownOptions = array('N', 'NM', 'E', 'G', 'P');
//prior code where table and `foreach()` loop begins
<td>
<input type="text"
value="<?php echo $var["author"]; ?>"
required="required">
</input>
</td>
<td>
<select name="condition">
<?php foreach ($dropdownOptions AS $option) {
echo '<option value="' . $option . '"' . ($var["condition"] == $option ? ' selected="selected"' : '') . '>' . $option . '</option>';
} ?>
</select>
</td>
//subsequent code where table is closed