combobox combo-value looses it's value

[devnull]

I am using the following code to change the combobox into a normal input field when adding a new record.

Code:

$('.fkey').combobox({
  hasDownArrow:false,
  onShowPanel:function(){
    $(this).combobox('hidePanel');
  }
});

The code does remove the dropdown and prevents the panel from showing, however when I save the form the value of the element is null even if a value is entered into the input field.

It appears that <input type="hidden" class="combo-value" name="XX" value=""> is added to the DOM multiple times.

When the first char is entered

• there is 1 occurrence of the combo-value element, when the second char is entered [xx] the combo-value disappears, on the 3rd char [xxx] the combo-value input is duplicated, and any chars entered after the 3rd char [xxxx], the combo-value element disappears.

I have also noticed, that the onChange() event gets fired twice when entering text using this method, but only gets fired once when the combobox is selected normally.

[stworthy]

The entered value of combo box must be exists in the drop-down items. When drop-down panel is empty, the entered value will be removed since there are no values exists in drop-down items.
To make the combobox works like a textbox, the 'keyHandler' property must be overridden to keep its entered value.

Code:

$('#cc').combobox({
       keyHandler: $.extend({},$.fn.combobox.defaults.keyHandler, {
              query:function(q,e){
                     $(this).combo('setValue', q);
                     $(this).combo('hidePanel');
              },
              enter:function(){}
       })
})