pre select

by Rich Costello

HTML

<link rel="stylesheet" href="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8/themes/dot-luv/jquery-ui.css">
<select id="mySelect1">

    <option>Banana</option>
    <option>Monkey</option>
    <option>Fritter</option>
</select> 

<select id="mySelect2">
    <option></option>
    <option>Cream cheese</option>
    <option>Mushroom pie</option>
    <option>French toast</option>
</select>

JavaScript

var text1 = 'Monkey';
$("#mySelect1 option").filter(function() {
    return this.text == text1; 
}).attr('selected', true);

var text2 = 'Mushroom pie';
$("#mySelect2 option").filter(function() {
    return this.text == text2; 
}).attr('selected', true);