dropdown problem

[izachar]

I have 2 drop down menus. The first one is hard coded and based on what you choose there the page refreshes and then populates a second dropdown dynamically. But when the page refreshes the second time to pull the relevant content from the db the second dropdown resets without staying on the value that was chosen. I tried to do the similar as I did in the first drop down but it selects the last dynamic element. any suggestions?

<form name=&quot;form1&quot; method=&quot;post&quot; action=&quot;&quot;>
<select name=&quot;category&quot; onchange=&quot;if((w=this.options[this.selectedIndex].value) !='')window.location = w&quot;>
<option <cfif not isdefined (&quot;category&quot>selected</cfif> value=&quot;&quot; >Select a category</option>
<option <cfif category eq &quot;arts&quot;>selected</cfif> value=&quot;search.cfm?category=arts&quot;>Arts</option>
<option <cfif category eq &quot;classified&quot;>selected</cfif> value=&quot;search.cfm?category=classified&quot;>Classified</option>
<option <cfif category eq &quot;comics&quot;>selected</cfif> value=&quot;search.cfm?category=comics&quot;>Comics</option>
<option <cfif category eq &quot;features&quot;>selected</cfif> value=&quot;search.cfm?category=features&quot;>Features</option>
<option <cfif category eq &quot;h2&quot;>selected</cfif> value=&quot;search.cfm?category=h2&quot;>Pg. 2</option>
<option <cfif category eq &quot;news&quot;>selected</cfif> value=&quot;search.cfm?category=news&quot;>News</option>
<option <cfif category eq &quot;sports&quot;>selected</cfif> value=&quot;search.cfm?category=sports&quot;>Sports</option>
</select>

</cfoutput>

<cfif category neq &quot;&quot;>
<select name=&quot;category&quot; onchange=&quot;if((w=this.options [this.selectedIndex].value) !='')window.location = w&quot;>

<cfif category eq #category#>
<cfquery datasource=#datasource# username=#username# password=#password# name=#category#>
select distinct (#category#_date) as date
from #category#
where #category#_date < #prevwednesday#
and #category#_active like 'yes%%'
</cfquery>



<option selected value=&quot;&quot;>Select a date</option>
<cfoutput query=&quot;#category#&quot;>
<option value=&quot;search.cfm?category=#category#&date=#date#&quot;>
#dateformat(date,&quot;mm/dd/yyyy&quot#</option>
</cfoutput>



</select>