Getting Started with the Vue Auto compleye Component in Vue 2

16 Mar 202415 minutes to read

This article provides a step-by-step guide for setting up a Vue 2 project using Vue-CLI and integrating the Syncfusion Vue Auto complete component using the Composition API / Options API.

Prerequisites

System requirements for Syncfusion Vue UI components

Dependencies

The list of dependencies required to use the AutoComplete component in your application is given below:

|-- @syncfusion/ej2-vue-dropdowns
  |-- @syncfusion/ej2-base
    |-- @syncfusion/ej2-dropdowns
    |-- @syncfusion/ej2-data
    |-- @syncfusion/ej2-inputs
    |-- @syncfusion/ej2-lists
    |-- @syncfusion/ej2-navigations
    |-- @syncfusion/ej2-popups
        |-- @syncfusion/ej2-buttons

Setting up the Vue 2 project

To generate a Vue 2 project using Vue-CLI, use the vue create command. Follow these steps to install Vue CLI and create a new project:

npm install -g @vue/cli
vue create quickstart
cd quickstart
npm run serve

or

yarn global add @vue/cli
vue create quickstart
cd quickstart
yarn run serve

When creating a new project, choose the option Default ([Vue 2] babel, eslint) from the menu.

Once the quickstart project is set up with default settings, proceed to add Syncfusion components to the project.

Add Syncfusion Vue packages

Syncfusion packages are available at npmjs.com. To use Vue components, install the required npm package.

This article uses the Vue Auto complete component as an example. Install the @syncfusion/ej2-vue-dropdowns package by running the following command:

npm install @syncfusion/ej2-vue-dropdowns --save

or

yarn add @syncfusion/ej2-vue-dropdowns

Import Syncfusion CSS styles

You can import themes for the Syncfusion Vue component in various ways, such as using CSS or SASS styles from npm packages, CDN, CRG and Theme Studio. Refer to themes topic to know more about built-in themes and different ways to refer to themes in a Vue project.

In this article, the Material theme is applied using CSS styles, which are available in installed packages. The necessary Material CSS styles for the Auto complete component and its dependents were imported into the <style> section of src/App.vue file.

~/src/App.vue

<style>
@import "../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-base/styles/material.css";
@import "../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-inputs/styles/material.css";
@import "../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-vue-dropdowns/styles/material.css";
</style>

Add Syncfusion Vue component

Follow the below steps to add the Vue Auto complete component using Composition API or Options API:

1. First, import and register the Auto complete component in the script section of the src/App.vue file. If you are using the Composition API, you should add the setup attribute to the script tag to indicate that Vue will be using the Composition API.

Composition API (~/src/App.vue)

<script setup>
import { AutoCompleteComponent as EjsAutocomplete } from '@syncfusion/ej2-vue-dropdowns';
</script>

Options API (~/src/App.vue)

<script>
import { AutoCompleteComponent } from '@syncfusion/ej2-vue-dropdowns';

export default {
  components: {
    'ejs-autocomplete': AutoCompleteComponent
  }
}
</script>

Binding data source

After initialization, populate the AutoComplete with data using the dataSource property. Here, an array of string values is passed to the AutoComplete component.

Composition API (~/src/App.vue)

<template>
    <div id="app">
    <ejs-autocomplete :dataSource='sportsData' :placeholder="waterMark"></ejs-autocomplete>
  </div>
</template>
<script setup>
import { AutoCompleteComponent as EjsAutocomplete } from '@syncfusion/ej2-vue-dropdowns';
const waterMark = 'e.g. Basketball';
const sportsData = ['American Football', 'Badminton', 'Basketball', 'Cricket',
                'Football', 'Golf', 'Gymnastics',
                'Hockey', 'Rugby', 'Snooker', 'Tennis'
            ];
</script>

Options API (~/src/App.vue)

</template>
<script>
import { AutoCompleteComponent } from '@syncfusion/ej2-vue-dropdowns';
export default {
  components: {
    'ejs-autocomplete': AutoCompleteComponent
  },
  name: 'app',
  data () {
    return {
      waterMark : 'e.g. Basketball',
      sportsData: ['American Football', 'Badminton', 'Basketball', 'Cricket',
                'Football', 'Golf', 'Gymnastics',
                'Hockey', 'Rugby', 'Snooker', 'Tennis'
            ]
    }
  }
}
</script>

Here is the summarized code for the above steps in the src/App.vue file:

Composition API (~/src/App.vue)

<template>
    <div id="app">
    <ejs-autocomplete :dataSource='sportsData' :placeholder="waterMark"></ejs-autocomplete>
  </div>
</template>
<script setup>
import { AutoCompleteComponent as EjsAutocomplete } from '@syncfusion/ej2-vue-dropdowns';

const waterMark = 'e.g. Basketball';
const sportsData = ['American Football', 'Badminton', 'Basketball', 'Cricket',
                'Football', 'Golf', 'Gymnastics',
                'Hockey', 'Rugby', 'Snooker', 'Tennis'
            ];
</script>
<style>
@import "../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-base/styles/material.css";
@import "../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-inputs/styles/material.css";
@import "../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-vue-dropdowns/styles/material.css";
  #app {
    color: #008cff;
    height: 40px;
    left: 35%;
    position: absolute;
    top: 35%;
    width: 30%;
  }
</style>

Options API (~/src/App.vue)

<template>
    <div id="app">
    <ejs-autocomplete :dataSource='sportsData' :placeholder="waterMark"></ejs-autocomplete>
  </div>
</template>
<script>
import { AutoCompleteComponent } from '@syncfusion/ej2-vue-dropdowns';

export default {
  components: {
    'ejs-autocomplete': AutoCompleteComponent
  },
  name: 'app',
data () {
    return {
      waterMark : 'e.g. Basketball',
      sportsData: ['American Football', 'Badminton', 'Basketball', 'Cricket',
                'Football', 'Golf', 'Gymnastics',
                'Hockey', 'Rugby', 'Snooker', 'Tennis'
            ]
    }
  }
}
</script>
<style>
@import "../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-base/styles/material.css";
@import "../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-inputs/styles/material.css";
@import "../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-vue-dropdowns/styles/material.css";
  #app {
    color: #008cff;
    height: 40px;
    left: 35%;
    position: absolute;
    top: 35%;
    width: 30%;
  }
</style>

Run the project

To run the project, use the following command:

npm run serve

or

yarn run serve

Custom values

The AutoComplete allows the user to give input as custom value which is not required to present in predefined set of values. By default, this support is enabled by allowCustom property. The custom value will be sent to post back handler when a form is about to be submitted.

Composition API (~/src/App.vue)

<template>
    <div id="app">
    <ejs-autocomplete :dataSource='sportsData' :placeholder="waterMark" ></ejs-autocomplete>
  </div>
</template>
<script setup>
import { AutoCompleteComponent as EjsAutocomplete } from '@syncfusion/ej2-vue-dropdowns';

const waterMark  = 'Find a game';
const sportsData = ['Badminton', 'Basketball', 'Cricket',
                'Football', 'Golf', 'Gymnastics',
                'Hockey', 'Rugby', 'Snooker', 'Tennis'
            ];
</script>

<style>
@import "../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-base/styles/material.css";
@import "../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-inputs/styles/material.css";
@import "../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-vue-dropdowns/styles/material.css";
  #app {
    color: #008cff;
    height: 40px;
    left: 35%;
    position: absolute;
    top: 35%;
    width: 30%;
  }
</style>

Options API (~/src/App.vue)

<template>
    <div id="app">
    <ejs-autocomplete :dataSource='sportsData' :placeholder="waterMark" ></ejs-autocomplete>
  </div>
</template>
<script>
import { AutoCompleteComponent } from '@syncfusion/ej2-vue-dropdowns';

export default {
  components: {
    'ejs-autocomplete': AutoCompleteComponent
  },
  name: 'app',
   data () {
    return {
      waterMark : 'Find a game',
      allowCustom: true,
      sportsData: ['Badminton', 'Basketball', 'Cricket',
                'Football', 'Golf', 'Gymnastics',
                'Hockey', 'Rugby', 'Snooker', 'Tennis'
            ]
    }
  }
}
</script>
<style>
@import "../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-base/styles/material.css";
@import "../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-inputs/styles/material.css";
@import "../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-vue-dropdowns/styles/material.css";
  #app {
    color: #008cff;
    height: 40px;
    left: 35%;
    position: absolute;
    top: 35%;
    width: 30%;
  }
</style>

Configure the suggestion list

By default, suggestion list width automatically adjusts according to the AutoComplete input element’s width, and the height of the suggestion list has ‘300px’. The height and width of the popup list can also be customized using the popupHeight and popupWidth property respectively. In the following sample, suggestion list’s width and height are configured.

Composition API (~/src/App.vue)

<template>
    <div id="app">
    <ejs-autocomplete :dataSource='sportsData' :popupHeight='height' :popupWidth='width' :placeholder="waterMark" ></ejs-autocomplete>
  </div>
</template>
<script setup>
import { AutoCompleteComponent as EjsAutocomplete } from '@syncfusion/ej2-vue-dropdowns';

const waterMark  = 'Find a game';
const height = '250px';
const width = '250px';
const sportsData = ['Badminton', 'Basketball', 'Cricket',
                'Football', 'Golf', 'Gymnastics',
                'Hockey', 'Rugby', 'Snooker', 'Tennis'
            ];
</script>
<style>
@import "../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-base/styles/material.css";
@import "../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-inputs/styles/material.css";
@import "../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-vue-dropdowns/styles/material.css";
  #app {
    color: #008cff;
    height: 40px;
    left: 35%;
    position: absolute;
    top: 35%;
    width: 30%;
  }
</style>

Options API (~/src/App.vue)

<template>
    <div id="app">
    <ejs-autocomplete :dataSource='sportsData' :popupHeight='height' :popupWidth='width' :placeholder="waterMark" ></ejs-autocomplete>
  </div>
</template>
<script>
import { AutoCompleteComponent } from '@syncfusion/ej2-vue-dropdowns';

export default {
  components: {
    'ejs-autocomplete': AutoCompleteComponent
  },
  name: 'app',
   data () {
    return {
      waterMark : 'Find a game',
      allowCustom: true,
      height: '250px',
      width: '250px',
      sportsData: ['Badminton', 'Basketball', 'Cricket',
                'Football', 'Golf', 'Gymnastics',
                'Hockey', 'Rugby', 'Snooker', 'Tennis'
            ]
    }
  }
}
</script>
<style>
@import "../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-base/styles/material.css";
@import "../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-inputs/styles/material.css";
@import "../node_modules/@syncfusion/ej2-vue-dropdowns/styles/material.css";
  #app {
    color: #008cff;
    height: 40px;
    left: 35%;
    position: absolute;
    top: 35%;
    width: 30%;
  }
</style>

NOTE

You can refer to our Vue AutoComplete feature tour page for its groundbreaking feature representations. You can also explore our Vue AutoComplete example to know how to render and configure the autocomplete.

See Also

• How to bind the data