[SalesForce] Rendering PageBlockSections based on picklist

I have a VF page to make a record for a custom object. It has 2 <pageBlockSection>. The first should always be rendered, and it contains a picklist. Depending on the value of the picklist, the second might be rendered.

What is the best way to go about this? Can the standard controller handle this, or does it need a custom controller? Why isn't my second section rendering correctly?

The picklist:

<apex:inputField value="{!CustomObject__c.Type__c}"> 
     <apex:actionSupport event="onchange" reRender="section2"/>
</apex:inputField>

And the second section:

<apex:pageBlockSection id="section2" columns="1" rendered="{!IF(CustomObject__c.Type__c == 'Functionality Request',true,false)}">  
    <apex:inputField value="{!CustomObject__c.Priority__c }"/>

</apex:pageBlockSection>

Best Answer

A custom controller is not needed. You need to re-render the container holding the component that has the conditional rendering expression.

Here is a working example:

<apex:page standardController="Contact">
<apex:form>
<apex:pageBlock id="pb">
    <apex:pageBlockSection>  
        <apex:inputField value="{!Contact.Salutation}"> 
             <apex:actionSupport event="onchange" reRender="pb"/>
        </apex:inputField>
    </apex:pageBlockSection>
    <apex:pageBlockSection id="pbs" rendered="{! Contact.Salutation == 'Mr.' }">  
        <apex:inputField value="{!Contact.Birthdate }"/>
    </apex:pageBlockSection>
</apex:pageBlock>
</apex:form>
</apex:page>

where the Birthdate appears if "Mr." is selected. If you change it to reRender="pbs" it no longer works.

Related Solutions

[SalesForce] How to an apex:pageBlockSection be rerendered if it originally has a render value of false

I've found before that if it's set to false when the page first renders then the element doesn't actually exist, so it's not technically a valid rerender target.

I've found the easiest way is to wrap your block in another element and rerender that instead:

<apex:variable var="v" value="" id="rerenderThis">
    <apex:pageBlockSection collapsible="false" columns="1" title="The Dynamic Section" id="theDynamicSection" rendered="{!ShouldDisplay == true}">
        <apex:OutputPanel>
            <div>Now you see me</div>
        </apex:OutputPanel>
    </apex:pageBlockSection>
</apex:variable>

[SalesForce] reRender problem: variable changes in controller, but not on the VF page

The issue here is you are trying to rerender a section which was previously not rendered on the page. "Rerender" attributes only renders those sections or panels which were rendered on the page initially or before the ajax request.

So you would have to rerender the "Apex:pageBlock" or put your selectList inside an outputPanel like this:

<apex:pageBlockSection id="unlockFields" >
      <apex:outputPanel rendered="{!unlockFieldsVisibility}">
                            <apex:selectList value="{!newUnlockReason}" multiselect="false" size="1" id="unlockReasonPicklist">
                                <apex:selectOptions value="{!unlockReasons}" />
                            </apex:selectList>
                            <apex:inputTextarea value="{!newUnlockComment}" id="unlockComment"/>
       <apex:outputPanel>
 </apex:pageBlockSection>

Best Answer

Related Solutions

[SalesForce] How to an apex:pageBlockSection be rerendered if it originally has a render value of false

[SalesForce] reRender problem: variable changes in controller, but not on the VF page

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