# List component - getting the selected item

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/list-component-getting-the-selected-item/317908>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Created:** [January 5, 2011, 8:30pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/list-component-getting-the-selected-item/317908 "2011-01-05T20:30:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![cermunnos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ebca7d/32.png) [@cermunnos](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/cermunnos)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 8:30pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/list-component-getting-the-selected-item/317908/1 "2011-01-05T20:30:56Z")

</div>

Hi,

Wish to know in my 3 item list. how to make an item auto selected when the program loads? ie make a default setting for whats selected.

Also and more importantly how can I get the data from a component through the listener and put the data in a trace

```auto
var bordorList:List = new List();

bordorList.addItem( { label:"Closed" } );
bordorList.addItem( { label:"Open" } );
bordorList.addItem( { label:"Circular" } );

bordorList.setSize(70,50);
bordorList.move(602, 440);
stage1.addChild(bordorList);

 bordorList.addEventListener(Event.CHANGE, b_CB1);

public function b_CB1(event:Event)
{
trace( event.target.selectedItem.data); // this sends back NULLS
}

```