Build Your Own ASP.NET 2.0 Web Site Using C# & VB, Second Edition

<asp:Parameter Name="HomePhone" Type="String" />

<asp:Parameter Name="Extension" Type="String" />

<asp:Parameter Name="MobilePhone" Type="String" />

<asp:Parameter Name="EmployeeID" Type="Int32" />

</UpdateParameters>

<SelectParameters>

<asp:ControlParameter ControlID="grid" Name="EmployeeID"

PropertyName="SelectedValue" Type="Int32" />

</SelectParameters>

<InsertParameters>

<asp:Parameter Name="DepartmentID" Type="Int32" />

<asp:Parameter Name="Name" Type="String" />

<asp:Parameter Name="Username" Type="String" />

<asp:Parameter Name="Password" Type="String" />

<asp:Parameter Name="Address" Type="String" />

<asp:Parameter Name="City" Type="String" />

<asp:Parameter Name="State" Type="String" />

<asp:Parameter Name="Zip" Type="String" />

<asp:Parameter Name="HomePhone" Type="String" />

<asp:Parameter Name="Extension" Type="String" />

<asp:Parameter Name="MobilePhone" Type="String" />

</InsertParameters>

</asp:SqlDataSource>

As you can see, the SqlDataSource contains the UPDATE, DELETE, and INSERT

queries it needs to execute when the user performs these actions on the

DetailsView. These are parameterized queries, and a data type is specified for

each of the parameters, which, as you already know, is good programming practice.

You might also notice that the names of the fields and tables are surrounded by

square brackets ([ and ]). These square brackets allow us to include spaces and

other special characters in table names. Since none of our field or table names

contain spaces, we haven’t had to worry about this issue so far, but facilitating

the inclusion of spaces is a good idea.

The SqlDataSource is the perfect tool when you need to create fully featured

forms such as the address book quickly and easily for smaller projects like the

Dorknozzle intranet. As the DetailsView and GridView controls are tightly

integrated with the data source controls, they allow us to implement a lot of

functionality without writing any code.

Displaying Lists in DetailsView

We want to improve on our DetailsView by making it show a list of departments

instead of department IDs. This makes sense, as it’s much easier for users to select

489

Displaying Lists in DetailsView

the name of a department than a department ID when they’re updating or inser-

ting the details of an employee. Figure 12.16 shows how the page will look once

we’ve created this functionality.

Figure 12.16. Viewing the Department drop-down list in DetailsView

Start by adding a new SqlDataSource control beside the two existing data source

controls in AddressBook.aspx. Name the control departmentsDataSource, click

its smart tag, and select Configure Data Source. In the first screen, select the

Dorknozzle connection, then click Next. Specify the Departments table and select

both of its columns, as shown in Figure 12.17.

Click Next, then Finish to save the data source configuration. The definition of

your new data source control will look like this:

File: AddressBook.aspx (excerpt)

<asp:SqlDataSource id="departmentsDataSource" runat="server"

ConnectionString="<%$ ConnectionStrings:Dorknozzle %>"

490

Chapter 12: Advanced Data Access

Figure 12.17. Specifying the Departments data source

SelectCommand="SELECT [DepartmentID], [Department]

FROM [Departments]" />

Now, with AddressBook.aspx open in Design View, click the DetailsView

control’s smart tag, select Edit Fields, and transform the Department ID Bound-

Field into a TemplateField—you learned how to do this back in Chapter 11.

Now, switch to Source View, and locate the Department ID TemplateField that

you just generated. It should look something like this:

File: AddressBook.aspx (excerpt)

<asp:TemplateField HeaderText="DepartmentID"

SortExpression="DepartmentID">

<EditItemTemplate>

<asp:TextBox ID="TextBox1" runat="server"

Text='<%# Bind("DepartmentID") %>'></asp:TextBox>

</EditItemTemplate>

<InsertItemTemplate>

<asp:TextBox ID="TextBox1" runat="server"

Text='<%# Bind("DepartmentID") %>'></asp:TextBox>

</InsertItemTemplate>

<ItemTemplate>

<asp:Label ID="Label1" runat="server"

491

Displaying Lists in DetailsView