> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://xrlive.mintlify.site/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Dropdown > String selection control with a configurable list of options A **Dropdown** presents the operator with a fixed list of string options. When the operator selects an item, Blueprint receives the selected string through a bound event. *** ## Configuration Dropdowns are declared inside `UICategories` on the `xrlive_UIpanel` component. Set **Type** to `Xrlive Dropdown` and fill in the fields below. | Field | Type | Description | | -------------------- | --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | **Name** | String | Unique ID of the control. Must match exactly (case and spaces) when referenced in Blueprint. | | **Tooltip** | String | Optional helper text shown to the operator on hover. | | **Dropdown Options** | Array of String | The list of selectable options. Each entry is a string typed manually. Add as many options as needed. | | **Selected Item** | String | The option that is active when the visual loads. Must match one of the entries in **Dropdown Options** exactly — same casing, same spaces. | If **Selected Item** is left empty or does not match any entry in **Dropdown Options**, the dropdown will start with no selection at runtime. Always verify that the value is an exact match of one of the declared options. *** ## Blueprint API Call `Find Control by Name` on the `xrlive_UIpanel` reference, passing the dropdown's **Name**. Feed the **Return Value** into `Bind Event to On Dropdown Selection`. Create a **Custom Event** and connect it to the **Event** pin. Blueprint graph showing Xrlive Ulpanel reference connected to Find Control by Name, whose Return Value feeds the Target pin of Bind Event to On Dropdown Selection. A Custom Event node named OnDropdownSelection_Event exposes Control Name and Selected Item output pins. The Selected Item pin connects to a Switch on String node with Option 1, Option 2, Option 3, and Default output pins.

Blueprint graph showing Xrlive Ulpanel reference connected to Find Control by Name, whose Return Value feeds the Target pin of Bind Event to On Dropdown Selection. A Custom Event node named OnDropdownSelection_Event exposes Control Name and Selected Item output pins. The Selected Item pin connects to a Switch on String node with Option 1, Option 2, Option 3, and Default output pins.

The custom event exposes two output pins: | Pin | Type | Description | | ----------------- | ------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | **Control Name** | String | The name of the dropdown that fired the event. Useful when one event handles multiple dropdowns. | | **Selected Item** | String | The string value of the option the operator selected. | Each option in a dropdown typically drives a different behavior, so it is common to route **Selected Item** into a `Switch on String` node and handle each case in its own branch. This is a recommendation, not a requirement — how the selected value is consumed is entirely up to the developer. *** ## Populating options at runtime If the list of options needs to be built dynamically — for example, from a data table or an external source — you can populate the dropdown at runtime using `Set Dropdown Options By Name` instead of, or in addition to, the static **Dropdown Options** array in `UICategories`. Blueprint graph showing Xrlive Ulpanel reference connected to Set Dropdown Options By Name. The node exposes Control Name, First Item, Options (array), and Overwrite if Not Empty input pins, and a Return Value output pin.

Blueprint graph showing Xrlive Ulpanel reference connected to Set Dropdown Options By Name. The node exposes Control Name, First Item, Options (array), and Overwrite if Not Empty input pins, and a Return Value output pin.

| Pin | Type | Description | | -------------------------- | --------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Control Name** | String | The name of the dropdown to populate. Must match the control's **Name** field exactly. | | **First Item** | String | The option that will be selected by default once the list is applied. | | **Options** | Array of String | The full list of options to load into the dropdown. | | **Overwrite if Not Empty** | Bool | When `true`, the runtime list replaces any options already declared in `UICategories`. When `false`, the static list in `UICategories` takes priority and the runtime list is ignored if the dropdown already has options. |