title: Validating form dropdown in CodeIgniter
body: <p>I am using CodeIgniter's form helper and form validation library to build my forms. I'm having trouble making the dropdown 'sticky' and also finding appropriate validation rules.</p>
  
  <p>This is how I'm populating the drodown:</p>
  
  <pre><code>foreach($events as $event){
  $options[$event-&gt;event_title] = $event-&gt;event_title;
  }
  $firstItem = '&lt;option&gt;Please select one...&lt;/option&gt;';
  echo form_dropdown('events', $options, '', $firstItem);
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>This is building the options from events stored in the database. The form looks fine and is populating all the fields correctly.</p>
  
  <p>Hwoever, when I come to submit the form, the dropdown isn't holding onto the value selected? Also, how should I validate it, I want to make it required but I also want to make sure that I dont except the first option in the dropdown 'Please select one...'</p>
  
  <p>Thanks in advance.</p>
  
  <p>Cheers,
  Gaz</p>