I have a gridView that get populated with files information using DirectoryInfo. Some of the columns returned are: name, FullName, Extention, Length, .....
I added a Hyperlink column and I want to be able to click on it on open the corresponding file (pdf).
The problem is that when I use DataNavigateUrlFields="fullname", the hyperlink is not active(not clickable). If I use DataNavigateUrlFields="name", the hyperlink is 'live' (clickable).
The only difference I can see between name and fullname is the size, as fullname returns the entire file path plus the file name.
Could anyone explain what's going on, or what I am doing wrong.
Thank you.
Here's is the hyperlink:
<asp:HyperLinkField Text="Download" DataNavigateUrlFormatString="~/downloadPDF.aspx?fullname={0}" HeaderText="Download" DataTextField="name" DataNavigateUrlFields="fullname" />

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How does the rest of your code look like?

Can you post a fully reproducible scenario?

Imar
---------------------------------------
Imar Spaanjaars
http://Imar.Spaanjaars.Com
Everyone is unique, except for me.
Author of ASP.NET 2.0 Instant Results and Beginning Dreamweaver MX / MX 2004
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Thank you Imar for answering...
On a page I have a text box. A user enters a'Part Number' and then clicks on a button. The idea is to parse the 'part number' entered and from there figure out where and what is the folder name that should display the files in it:
Hope the code is clear as I am testing it and there is a lot of uncommented text:

Protected Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click

        Dim partNumber As String '001-00235
        Dim mainFolderName As String '001
        Dim dashPosition As Integer
        Dim rightSidePartNumber As String '00235
        Dim subFolderName As String '002
        Dim searchFolder As String

        partnumber = Me.partNumberTextBox.Text
        mainFolderName = Left(partNumber, 3)
        dashPosition = InStr(partNumber, "-")
        rightSidePartNumber = Right(partNumber, Len(partNumber) - dashPosition)
        subFolderName = Left(rightSidePartNumber, 3)

        If mainFolderName = "001" Or mainFolderName = "801" Then
            searchFolder = mainFolderName & "-XXXXX\" & mainFolderName & "-" & subFolderName & "XX"
            searchFolder = "C:\TEMP\pdf\" & searchFolder

        End If

            Try
            Dim dirInfo As New DirectoryInfo(searchFolder)
            '*************

            '*************
            If dirInfo.Exists Then
                ' dirinfo.GetFiles(partnumer & "*.pdf)
                Me.GridView1.DataSource = dirInfo.GetFiles(partNumber & "*.pdf") '("*.*")
                'Me.GridView1.DataSource = dirInfo.GetFiles("*.pdf")
                Me.GridView1.DataBind()
            Else : Me.partNumberTextBox.Text = "Directory does not exit: " & searchFolder 'MsgBox("Directory does not exit" & ": " & searchFolder)
                'need to clear the grid
                Dim dataTable As New Data.DataTable
                Me.GridView1.DataSource = dataTable
                Me.GridView1.DataBind()
                Exit Sub
            End If
        Catch ex As Exception
            Me.partNumberTextBox.Text = ex.Message ' MsgBox(ex.Message)
            'need to clear the grid
        Finally


        End Try

    End Sub

GridView:
<asp:GridView ID="GridView1" runat="server" Font-Size="Smaller">
            <Columns>
                <asp:BoundField DataField="FullName" HeaderText="Path" />
                <asp:BoundField DataField="Name" HeaderText="File Name" >
                    <ItemStyle Width="160px" />
                </asp:BoundField>
                <asp:HyperLinkField Text="Download" DataNavigateUrlFormatString="~/downloadPDF.aspx?fullname={0}" HeaderText="Download" DataTextField="name" DataNavigateUrlFields="name" />
                <asp:TemplateField HeaderText="View">
                    <ItemTemplate>
                        <asp:HyperLink ID="HyperLink1" runat="server" NavigateUrl='<%# Bind("FullName","~/downloadPDF.aspx?") %>'>HyperLink</asp:HyperLink>
                    </ItemTemplate>
                </asp:TemplateField>
            </Columns>
        </asp:GridView>

Weird. I have seen things like this with a GridView and the fix was to set the HtmlEncode to False. However, that was with a BoundField, not an HyperLink or TemplateField.

Only way around this right now, without looking too much into this, is this:

<a href='<%# "SomeUrl.aspx?Path=" + Eval("FullName") %>' runat="server">Download</a>


Imar
---------------------------------------
Imar Spaanjaars
http://Imar.Spaanjaars.Com
Everyone is unique, except for me.
Author of ASP.NET 2.0 Instant Results and Beginning Dreamweaver MX / MX 2004
Want to be my colleague? Then check out this post.

yes it's weird, if i use extension , length, IsReadOnly, Exists it works.
does not work with :DirectoryName,LastAccessTimeUtc.

Imar how do i use :
<a href='<%# "SomeUrl.aspx?Path=" + Eval("FullName") %>' runat="server">Download</a>
should I replace the hyperlink column by that?

Yes. Eval will pull the value of the column FullName from your datasource and place it in the above link.

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I added your line of code to the columns tag, like this:
*******************************
<asp:GridView ID="GridView1" runat="server" Font-Size="Smaller">
            <Columns>
                <asp:BoundField DataField="FullName" HeaderText="Path" />
                <asp:BoundField DataField="Name" HeaderText="File Name" >
                    <ItemStyle Width="160px" />
                </asp:BoundField>
                <asp:HyperLinkField Text="Download" DataNavigateUrlFormatString="~/downloadPDF.aspx?fullname={0}" HeaderText="Download" DataTextField="name" DataNavigateUrlFields="Exists" />
                <a id="A1" href='<%# ~/downloadPDF.aspx?fullname=" + Eval("FullName") %>' runat="server">Download</a>

                <asp:TemplateField HeaderText="View">
                    <ItemTemplate>
                        <asp:HyperLink ID="HyperLink1" runat="server" NavigateUrl='<%# Bind("FullName","~/downloadPDF.aspx?") %>'>HyperLink</asp:HyperLink>
                    </ItemTemplate>
                </asp:TemplateField>

            </Columns>
        </asp:GridView>
*******************************
but I get an error, saying the element 'a' cannot be nested within element 'columns'

Is it an error or just a compiler warning (or message) as the latter will not cause your compilation to fail.

================================================== =========
Read this if you want to know how to get a correct reply for your question:
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
^^Took that from planoie's profile^^
^^Modified text taken from gbianchi profile^^
================================================== =========
Technical Editor for: Professional Search Engine Optimization with ASP.NET
http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyT...470131470.html
================================================== =========
Why can't Programmers, program??
http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000781.html
================================================== =========