ADO.NET Cookbook

7.3. Binding Data to a Web Forms DataList

Problem

You need to bind the result set from a query to a DataList control.

Solution

Set the DataList’s advanced properties as demonstrated by this solution.

The schema of table TBL0703 that is used in the solution is shown in Table 7-2.

Table 7-2. TBL0703 schema

Column name	Data type	Length	Allow nulls?
Id	int	4	No
IntField	int	4	Yes
StringField	nvarchar	50	Yes

The Web Forms page sample code defines the DataList control and the three templates—SelectedItemTemplate, ItemTemplate, and EditItemTemplate—which control the display of data for selected items, unselected items, and items being edited. The static Eval( ) method of the DataBinder class is used to fill the field values in each template. Container.DataItem specifies the container argument for the method which when used in a list in a template resolves to DataListItem.DataItem. The code for the Web Forms page is shown Example 7-5.

Example 7-5. File: ADOCookbookCS0703.aspx

<asp:DataList id="dataList" style="Z-INDEX: 102; LEFT: 16px; POSITION: absolute; TOP: 56px" runat="server"> <SelectedItemTemplate> <asp:Button id="editButton" runat="server" Text="Edit" CommandName="Edit"> </asp:Button> <B> <%# DataBinder.Eval(Container.DataItem, "Id") %>; <%# DataBinder.Eval(Container.DataItem, "IntField") %>; <%# DataBinder.Eval(Container.DataItem, "StringField") %> </B> </SelectedItemTemplate> <ItemTemplate> <asp:Button id="selectButton" runat="server" Text="Select" CommandName="Select"> ...