i have a datalist control in my asp.net application. I would like to put the delete button inside the edititemtemplate and then add somejavascript to confirm the deletion before deleting the record.

currently the delete button is in the itemtemplate and the code works fine. the delete button also works within the edititemtemplate

the problem i have is in trying to reference the delete button once it is in the edititemtemplate. all my attempts so far have resulted in a "Object reference not set to an instance of an object.” error.

is there anyway to reference an object such as a button inside an
edititemtemplate of an asp.net control.



the code i have written which makes the 'confirm delete'
work within the itemtemplate looks like this.

(vb.net)



 sub confirm_delete (obj as object, e as datalistitemeventargs)

' edit button crashes without this if clause

If e.Item.ItemType <> ListItemType.edititem

dim deletebutton as button

 deletebutton = e.item.findcontrol("btndelete")

deleteButton.Attributes("onclick") = "javascript:return " & _
"confirm('Delete')"

end if

 end sub

 <asp datalist onitemdatabound = "confirm_delete" ...... />

<itemtemplate>

... all the databound stuff


 <asp:Button Text="Delete" CommandName = "delete" runat =server ID = "btndelete" />

</itemtemplate>

Try:

Dim deleteButton as NEW button

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I will only tell you how to do it, not do it for you.
Unless, of course, you want to hire me to do work for you.

thanks for looking at the problem.

i worked out the solution

the confirm delete sub looks like this

        If e.Item.ItemType = ListItemType.edititem


        dim deletebutton as new button

        deletebutton = e.item.findcontrol("btndelete")

        deleteButton.Attributes("onclick") = "javascript:return " & _
            "confirm('Delete')"


        end if

the only other thing i had to do was to set the
'causes validation' value of the delete button to 'false'
in order to make it work. the code works whether or not
you declare deletebutton as NEW button or not. is it
just good programming practice?

In general yes, its a good idea to declare the control with New because there are some controls that, if you don't declare them as New, the compilier will throw the Object Reference not set exeception.

--Stole this from a moderator

I will only tell you how to do it, not do it for you.
Unless, of course, you want to hire me to do work for you.