ASP.NET 4 Unleashed

Using DataBinding Expressions

A DataBinding expression is a special type of expression not evaluated until runtime. You mark a databinding expression in a page by wrapping the expression in opening <%# and closing %> brackets.

A DataBinding expression isn’t evaluated until a control’s DataBinding event is raised. When you bind a DataBound control to a DataSource control declaratively, this event is raised automatically. When you bind a DataSource control to a data source programmatically, the DataBinding event is raised when you call the DataBind() method.

For example, the page in Listing 8.11 contains a DataList control that contains a template that includes two DataBinding expressions.

Listing 8.11. ShowDataList.aspx

The first DataBinding ...