Question: I have a simple html dropdown box

```
<select class="dr_down">
<option>item1</option>
<option>item2</option>
<option>item3 etc...</option>
</select>

```

What I need to do is show the selected item when the form is edited instead of it defaulting back to the top of the list.

Answer: 
Use the `selected` attribute:

```
<select class="dr_down">
   <option>item1</option>
   <option selected='true'>item2</option>
   <option>item3 etc...</option>
</select>

```

That will select 'item2' by default
did you try using attribute `selected='true'`