Set focus on Jquery auto complete drop down list from code behind c#

Question

I am using Jquery auto complete combo box for my drop down list. my issue here is once I set on focus from code behind it doesnt reflect in the client side.

<asp:DropDownList runat="server" CssClass="Dropdown" ID="ddl"></asp:DropDownList>

I set on focus using,

ddl.Focus();

My Jquery is here,

    (function( $ ) {
    $.widget( "custom.combobox", {
      _create: function() {
        this.wrapper = $( "<span>" )
          .addClass( "custom-combobox" )
          .insertAfter( this.element );

        this.element.hide();
        this._createAutocomplete();
        this._createShowAllButton();
      },

      _createAutocomplete: function() {
        var selected = this.element.children( ":selected" ),
          value = selected.val() ? selected.text() : "";

        this.input = $( "<input>" )
          .appendTo( this.wrapper )
          .val( value )
          .attr( "title", "" )
          .addClass( "custom-combobox-input ui-widget ui-widget-content ui-state-default ui-corner-left" )
          .autocomplete({
            delay: 0,
            minLength: 0,
            source: $.proxy( this, "_source" )
          })
          .tooltip({
            tooltipClass: "ui-state-highlight"
          });

        this._on( this.input, {
          autocompleteselect: function( event, ui ) {
            ui.item.option.selected = true;
            this._trigger( "select", event, {
              item: ui.item.option
            });
          },

          autocompletechange: "_removeIfInvalid"
        });
      },

      _createShowAllButton: function() {
        var input = this.input,
          wasOpen = false;

        $( "<a>" )
          .attr( "tabIndex", -1 )
          .attr( "title", "Show All Items" )
          .tooltip()
          .appendTo( this.wrapper )
          .button({
            icons: {
              primary: "ui-icon-triangle-1-s"
            },
            text: false
          })
          .removeClass( "ui-corner-all" )
          .addClass( "custom-combobox-toggle ui-corner-right" )
          .mousedown(function() {
            wasOpen = input.autocomplete( "widget" ).is( ":visible" );
          })
          .click(function() {
            input.focus();

            // Close if already visible
            if ( wasOpen ) {
              return;
            }

            // Pass empty string as value to search for, displaying all results
            input.autocomplete( "search", "" );
          });
      },

      _source: function( request, response ) {
        var matcher = new RegExp( $.ui.autocomplete.escapeRegex(request.term), "i" );
        response( this.element.children( "option" ).map(function() {
          var text = $( this ).text();
          if ( this.value && ( !request.term || matcher.test(text) ) )
            return {
              label: text,
              value: text,
              option: this
            };
        }) );
      },

      _removeIfInvalid: function( event, ui ) {

        // Selected an item, nothing to do
        if ( ui.item ) {
          return;
        }

        // Search for a match (case-insensitive)
        var value = this.input.val(),
          valueLowerCase = value.toLowerCase(),
          valid = false;
        this.element.children( "option" ).each(function() {
          if ( $( this ).text().toLowerCase() === valueLowerCase ) {
            this.selected = valid = true;
            return false;
          }
        });

        // Found a match, nothing to do
        if ( valid ) {
          return;
        }

        // Remove invalid value
        this.input
          .val( "" )
          .attr( "title", value + " didn't match any item" )
          .tooltip( "open" );
        this.element.val( "" );
        this._delay(function() {
          this.input.tooltip( "close" ).attr( "title", "" );
        }, 2500 );
        this.input.data( "ui-autocomplete" ).term = "";
      },

      _destroy: function() {
        this.wrapper.remove();
        this.element.show();
      }
    });
  })( jQuery );

I understand that Jquery creates its own input and a anger tag for the asp.net drop down. So the actual asp.net drop down will have no control with its ID.

Answer 1

Save your selected option in a hidden field on this section of your code like this. curListValue is your hiddden field.

           this._on( this.input, {
      autocompleteselect: function( event, ui ) {
        ui.item.option.selected = true;
        this._trigger( "select", event, {
          item: ui.item.option //save this in a hidden field
        });
              var selectedVaue=ui.item.option.id;
             var $('[id*=curListValue]').val(selectedVaue);
           },

..... And on your pageLoad function in markup

 function pageLoad(sender, args) {
                { 
         if(args._isPartialLoad)
           {
               var selectedValue=$('[id*=curListValue]').val();
             $('.ui-autocomplete-input').focus().val(selectedValue);

           }

         }