# Dropdown not working for select\_one\_external **URL:** \ **Category:** Support\ **Created:** [August 1, 2017, 8:47pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/dropdown-not-working-for-select-one-external/9260 "2017-08-01T20:47:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Saad](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/saad/32/4537_2.png) [@Saad](https://forum.getodk.org/u/Saad)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2017, 8:47pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/dropdown-not-working-for-select-one-external/9260/1 "2017-08-01T20:47:24Z")
Hi, I am using select\_one\_external with CSV due to large number of choice options. The problem is that the display is not putting select\_one\_external into a dropdown/pull-down mode on ODK collect (instead it is showing default radio buttons display). I checked the XML, it is correctly coded with appearance=minimal line. Can someone help please? Thanks, Saad ---
**Author:** ![issa](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/87869e/32.png) [@issa](https://forum.getodk.org/u/issa)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2017, 9:12pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/dropdown-not-working-for-select-one-external/9260/2 "2017-08-01T21:12:10Z")
Hmm. Do you mind pasting the relevant part of the XML code anyway, just so we can double check it? Glancing at the Collect code, it should work as you've described it, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Saad](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/saad/32/4537_2.png) [@Saad](https://forum.getodk.org/u/Saad)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2017, 9:33pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/dropdown-not-working-for-select-one-external/9260/3 "2017-08-01T21:33:17Z")
Sure. I used XLSFORM as source. Here is the XML: [http://pasted.co/46abe454](http://pasted.co/46abe454) ---
**Author:** ![Saad](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/saad/32/4537_2.png) [@Saad](https://forum.getodk.org/u/Saad)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2017, 9:11pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/dropdown-not-working-for-select-one-external/9260/4 "2017-08-10T21:11:18Z")
Got annything for this please, @issa? ---
**Author:** ![issa](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/87869e/32.png) [@issa](https://forum.getodk.org/u/issa)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2017, 9:31pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/dropdown-not-working-for-select-one-external/9260/5 "2017-08-10T21:31:14Z")
Oh, I am sorry about that! I missed your response entirely. Everything looks as expected with that XML output. I'm afraid I have run into the end of my usefulness. It's possible that `minimal` appearance doesn't work with external despite what my glancing at the code implied. Someone else will have to give a more definitive answer here. I assume you have the external choices working and everything, and your only problem is that the appearance is not correct? ---
**Author:** ![Saad](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/saad/32/4537_2.png) [@Saad](https://forum.getodk.org/u/Saad)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2017, 9:35pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/dropdown-not-working-for-select-one-external/9260/6 "2017-08-10T21:35:14Z")
Yes. I moved to external because of 100+ options for multiple questions. The logic kicks in fine, but it is practically impossible to view hundred-plus options outside of dropdown in any visual configuration. ---
**Author:** ![LN](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/ln/32/1605_2.png) [@LN](https://forum.getodk.org/u/LN)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2017, 9:43pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/dropdown-not-working-for-select-one-external/9260/7 "2017-08-10T21:43:58Z")
I'll try to look into why `minimal` isn't working but have you considered using the `search` appearance? If enumerators know roughly what value they are looking for, that may be even more helpful. ---
**Author:** ![Saad](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/saad/32/4537_2.png) [@Saad](https://forum.getodk.org/u/Saad)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2017, 8:42pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/dropdown-not-working-for-select-one-external/9260/8 "2017-08-13T20:42:10Z")
Hi, Sorry to be pinging again, but did someone manage to find a solution to putting external options in a dropdown? I am playing with 80,000 items and it does not look pretty 🙂 @LN I checked search, it is really powerful. Thanks for pointing me to that. However, in this particular project of mine, I have to pin down enumerators with exact option. So a dropdown would be needed for external loads. Regards, Saad ---
**Author:** ![LN](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/ln/32/1605_2.png) [@LN](https://forum.getodk.org/u/LN)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2017, 1:53am UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/dropdown-not-working-for-select-one-external/9260/9 "2017-08-14T01:53:26Z")
Before I go digging into the drop down, I'd really like to understand your use case better! It seems to me that a drop down would still require a user to scroll through up to 80,000 values which doesn't seem usable. With `search`, you can still require that enumerators make a single choice. Search just lets them try different keywords so that they can scroll through fewer than 80,000 choices before selecting the one they need. In other words, the value they search for isn't sent as part of their response, it's just used to make the user experience more manageable. If you make the question required, enumerators will need to select exactly one option just like they would with a dropdown or radio button list.