I have a dataset 'headlines' that contains single DataTable having news headlines and mage information.
Each news may have associated image with it or null if no mage exists for a new.
The dataset has only one DataTable & this DataTable will look like as seen below. Pretty simple.

news_id news_datereleased news_source news_imageurl
------- ------------------ ------------ --------------
2 12-29-03 10:20 AP http://../ap_image1.jpg
5 12-29-03 09:30 Reuters NULL
9 12-28-03 11:30 AFP http://../afp_image2.jpg
8 12-27-03 12:23 BBC NULL
5 12-28-03 11:30 CNN http://../cnn_image2.jpg
7 12-27-03 12:23 AP http://../ap_image2.jpg


Now I have a datagrid which is bound to above table. This grid has an image object
and I want to set it's imageUrl property to above 'news_imageurl' column which works fine.

Now the problem: it is showing missing image object for 2nd and 4th row in the grid.
To solve this problem I need to set the visible property of 2nd & 4th row to false.

solution I panned:

headlines.Tables[0].Columns.Add("news_imagevisibility", System.Type.GetType("System.Boolean"), Boolean.FalseString);

so far good. All images are by default NOT Visible on the grid. so my changed DataTable looks like:
news_id news_datereleased news_source news_imageurl news_imagevisibility
------- ------------------ ------------ -------------- ---------------------
2 12-29-03 10:20 AP http://../ap_image1.jpg false
5 12-29-03 09:30 Reuters NULL false
9 12-28-03 11:30 AFP http://../afp_image2.jpg false
8 12-27-03 12:23 BBC NULL false
5 12-28-03 11:30 CNN http://../cnn_image2.jpg false
7 12-27-03 12:23 AP http://../ap_image2.jpg false

Next step is to change 'news_imagevisibility' of the DataTable as shown below
news_id news_datereleased news_source news_imageurl news_imagevisibility
------- ------------------ ------------ -------------- ---------------------
2 12-29-03 10:20 AP http://../ap_image1.jpg true
5 12-29-03 09:30 Reuters NULL false
9 12-28-03 11:30 AFP http://../afp_image2.jpg true
8 12-27-03 12:23 BBC NULL false
5 12-28-03 11:30 CNN http://../cnn_image2.jpg true
7 12-27-03 12:23 AP http://../ap_image2.jpg true

Then in asp page I will have code like this:
 <asp:DataGrid .......>
    <Columns>
       <asp:TemplateColumn>
    <ItemTemplate>
       <asp:image id='..' runat="server" imageurl='<%# DataBinder.Eval(Container.DataItem,"news_imageurl" )%>'
                                  visible='<%# DataBinder.Eval(Container.DataItem,"news_imagevisi bility")%>' >
    <ItemTemplate>
       </asp:TemplateColumn>
       <asp:TemplateColumn> rest of the news info goes here </asp:TemplateColumn>
    </Columns>
 </asp:DataGrid>

Code that I have written:
//use for loop to change all rows in DataTable having valid image
for(int i=0; i<headlines.Tables[0].Rows.Count; i++)
{
  if ((string)headlines.Tables[0].Rows[i]["ni_turl"].GetType() != Type.GetType("System.DBNull"))
     headlines.Tables[0].Rows[i]["news_imagevisibility"]=Boolean.TrueString;
}

The problem is that above loop fails to update the DataTable since it says the cell is READONLY!!!
Do you you how can I get this working???????

Thanks in Advance
Musa

Several thoughts ...

Why not just set news_imageurl to some 'default' image like (?) http://../ap_no_image.jpg that shows the test "Image not available" (or some other appropriate verbal) for those records that have no image available.

Why do you need the news_imagevisibility column in the DataTable. In your ASP code can't you evaluate if the image url is Null and set the visibility of the control then?

Sorry I don't have time to write some test code to confirm my thoughts.

KABay