Good question. The issues is the following. When an HTML form is submitted with one variable (a) the query_string contains ?a=value. If it is submitted with two values, the query string contains ?a=value&a=other.
When web2py (or any other framework) parses the query_string it may find ?a=value or ?a=value&a=other but it does not know if the variable comes from a normal input, a select, a multiple select, or checkboxes. Different frameworks take the same approach. Web2py parses ?a=value into request.vars.a='value' and ?a=value&a=other into request.vars.a=['value','other']. Other frameworks do what you suggest and always use a list: ?a=value into request.vars.a=['value'] but the drawback is that they always do it even for regular input fields (<input name="a"/>). If we were to do it we would have lots more request.vars.a[0] everywhere. The web2py solution is a compromise, as many other design decisions are. Massimo On Friday, 28 September 2012 17:33:18 UTC-5, MichaelF wrote: > > I have a form with a multi-select. If I choose one value and submit, the > value is set in request.vars.xxx as a single integer (e.g., 2). If I choose > more than one value and submit I get a list of string values (e.g., ['1', > '5']). If I select no values I get None. > > Expected? Why the inconsistency? Or am I doing something wrong? Why not > ['2'], ['1', '5'], and []? That's consistent, orthogonal, etc. > > Thanks. > --
