DropDownList with several hard coded values inside FormView

bpl · August 20th, 2013, 10:06 AM

In Chapter 13 we can include DropDownList in EditItemTemplate in FormView, DetailsView or GridView and Bind it to DataSource, which select data from database. It is possible to include DropDownList in EditItemTemplate with several hard coded values without selecting data from database? How we can implement it?

Imar · August 20th, 2013, 10:30 AM

Hi there,

You certainly can. Just don't associate a data control, and add the items in Markup directly.

Hope this helps,

Imar

bpl · August 20th, 2013, 11:11 AM

Thank you Imar.
Could you show example how to do it with DropDownList inside EditItemTemplate? Appreciate your help.

bpl · August 20th, 2013, 11:22 AM

I already was able do it using ListItem control inside DropDownlist in EditItemTemplate, the same as for regular DropDownList:
<asp:ListItem>Letter</asp:ListItem>, according to your advice.
Thank you very much!!!

Imar · August 20th, 2013, 11:23 AM

Just like any other DDL:

Code:

<asp:DropDownList id="ColorList" runat="server">
  <asp:ListItem Value="White"> White </asp:ListItem>
  <asp:ListItem Value="Silver"> Silver </asp:ListItem>
  <asp:ListItem Value="DarkGray"> Dark Gray </asp:ListItem>
</asp:DropDownList>

Cheers,

Imar

bpl · August 20th, 2013, 12:32 PM

Imar,

Thank you again for your excellent help!!!!!

bpl · August 21st, 2013, 11:54 AM

DropDownList with HardCoded values works fine inside ItemTemplate within FormView, but inside EditItemTeplate it does not save selected value when click Update button.

Imar · August 21st, 2013, 12:15 PM

Did you bind the selected value using the SelectedValue property and a Bind statement?

Imar

bpl · August 21st, 2013, 12:37 PM

Yes, I tried to Bind using Selected Value, this is my code from markup:
<asp:DropDownListID="ddl_how_education_provided"runat="server"DataTextField="Education"DataValueField="Education"SelectedValue='<%#Bind("Education") %>'>
<asp:ListItem>-- Select Education --</asp:ListItem>
<asp:ListItem>Letter</asp:ListItem>
<asp:ListItem>Telephone conversation</asp:ListItem>
<asp:ListItem>Office Visit</asp:ListItem>
</asp:DropDownList>

but got error: DataBinding: 'System.Data.DataRowView' does not contain a property with the name 'Education'

Might be I need to use FormView DataBinding event, use FindControl function inside this event to find DropDownList inside FormView and then use DataBind?

Imar · August 21st, 2013, 02:12 PM

You should get rid of the DataTextField and DataValueField properties as they are used in data binding scenarios.

Cheers,

Imar