Selective Display in Datalist

Colonel Angus · October 22nd, 2004, 09:16 AM

I have a Datalist that displays 3 columns of data. The first column, however should only display for the first row of a group. My logic is not producing the desired result as nothing is displayed in the first column. Here is my code:

Code:

Public curCenter As String = ""
.
.
.
Public Sub dlItemDataBound(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As DataListItemEventArgs)
        If e.Item.ItemType = ListItemType.Item Or e.Item.ItemType = ListItemType.AlternatingItem Then
            Dim CenterLabel As Label
            Select Case e.Item.ItemType
                Case ListItemType.Item
                    CenterLabel = CType(e.Item.FindControl("lblCenter"), Label)
                Case ListItemType.AlternatingItem
                    CenterLabel = CType(e.Item.FindControl("lblAltCenter"), Label)
            End Select

            If curCenter = CenterLabel.Text Then
                CenterLabel.Visible = False
            Else
                'new Center
                CenterLabel.Visible = True
            End If
            curCenter = CenterLabel.Text
        End If
    End Sub

I am at a loss to understand what's wrong. I welcome your comments.

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In God we trust, everything else we test.

bmains · October 22nd, 2004, 10:17 AM

Hey,

Probably this is always firing:

If curCenter = CenterLabel.Text Then
CenterLabel.Visible = False

Out of curiosity, you check to see if curCenter is equal to the label text, but then later assign it. Wouldn't that create a group for all rows?

Could you post the data list code too?

Brian

Colonel Angus · October 22nd, 2004, 10:42 AM

Data List Code:

Code:

<asp:datalist id="dlListing" style="Z-INDEX: 107; LEFT: 0px; POSITION: absolute; TOP: 8px" runat="server"
                    OnItemDataBound="dlItemDataBound" Width="500">
                    <HeaderTemplate>
                        <TABLE id="Table2" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="0" width="500" border="0">
                            <TR>
                                <TD width="30%">
                                    <asp:Label id="lblHeaderCenter" runat="server" CssClass="formlabel" Font-Bold="True">Center</asp:Label></TD>
                                <TD width="40%">
                                    <asp:Label id="lblHeaderCounselor" runat="server" CssClass="formlabel" Font-Bold="True">Counselor</asp:Label></TD>
                                <TD align="right" nowrap>
                                    <asp:Label id="lblHeaderCases" runat="server" CssClass="formlabel" Font-Bold="True">Number of Open Cases</asp:Label></TD>
                            </TR>
                        </TABLE>

                    </HeaderTemplate>
                    <ItemTemplate>
                        <TABLE id="Table1" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="0" width="500" border="0">
                            <TR>
                                <TD width="30%">
                                    <asp:Label id="lblCenter" runat="server" CssClass="formlabel" Font-Bold="True">
                                        <%# Container.DataItem("CenterName") %>
                                    </asp:Label></TD>
                                <TD width="40%">
                                    <asp:Label id="lblCounselor" runat="server" CssClass="formlabel">
                                        <%#Container.DataItem("Counselor")%>
                                    </asp:Label></TD>
                                <TD align="right">
                                    <asp:Label id="lblCases" runat="server" CssClass="formlabel">
                                        <%#FormatNumber(Container.DataItem("NumCases"), 0, , TriState.True)%>
                                    </asp:Label></TD>
                            </TR>
                        </TABLE>
                    </ItemTemplate>
                    <AlternatingItemTemplate>
                        <TABLE id="Table3" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="0" width="500" border="0">
                            <TR bgColor="#dddddd">
                                <TD width="30%">
                                    <asp:Label id="lblAltCenter" runat="server" CssClass="formlabel" Font-Bold="True">
                                        <%# Container.DataItem("CenterName") %>
                                    </asp:Label></TD>
                                <TD width="40%">
                                    <asp:Label id="lblAltCounselor" runat="server" CssClass="formlabel">
                                        <%#Container.DataItem("Counselor")%>
                                    </asp:Label></TD>
                                <TD align="right">
                                    <asp:Label id="lblAltCases" runat="server" CssClass="formlabel">
                                        <%#FormatNumber(Container.DataItem("NumCases"), 0, , TriState.True)%>
                                    </asp:Label></TD>
                            </TR>
                        </TABLE>
                    </AlternatingItemTemplate>
                </asp:datalist>

The purpose behind the line:

Code:

curCenter = CenterLabel.Text

Is so that the Sub can "remember" what the Center value was for the previous row.

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In God we trust, everything else we test.

bmains · October 22nd, 2004, 12:12 PM

Hey,

Try changing your Container.DataItem("..") to Databinder.Eval(Container.DataItem, ".."). Also, bind them to the text property of the label, as such:

<asp:Label ... Text='<%# Databinder.Eval(Container.DataItem, "..") %>'>...

Brian

Brian

Colonel Angus · October 22nd, 2004, 12:32 PM

That did the trick, thank you very much!

I would like to know what the difference is between the Container.DataItem and Databinder.Eval methods. Is Databinder.Eval needed in order to respond to the ItemDataBound event?

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In God we trust, everything else we test.

bmains · October 25th, 2004, 07:49 AM

Don't really know. I've just always known to do Databinder.Eval. I've tried Container.DataItem directly and it didn't work for me.

Brian