I noticed that if the user enters a string of text but leaves the input without selecting any of the autocomplete options no value is set in the hidden input, even if the string coincides with one in the array. So, with help of the other answers I made this:
var $local_source = [{
value: 1,
label: "c++"
}, {
value: 2,
label: "java"
}, {
value: 3,
label: "php"
}, {
value: 4,
label: "coldfusion"
}, {
value: 5,
label: "javascript"
}, {
value: 6,
label: "asp"
}, {
value: 7,
label: "ruby"
}];
$('#search-fld').autocomplete({
source: $local_source,
select: function (event, ui) {
$("#search-fld").val(ui.item.label); // display the selected text
$("#search-fldID").val(ui.item.value); // save selected id to hidden input
return false;
},
change: function( event, ui ) {
var isInArray = false;
$local_source.forEach(function(element, index){
if ($("#search-fld").val().toUpperCase() == element.label.toUpperCase()) {
isInArray = true;
$("#search-fld").val(element.label); // display the selected text
$("#search-fldID").val(element.value); // save selected id to hidden input
console.log('inarray: '+isInArray+' label: '+element.label+' value: '+element.value);
};
});
if(!isInArray){
$("#search-fld").val(''); // display the selected text
$( "#search-fldID" ).val( ui.item? ui.item.value : 0 );
}
}