Dynamically populating DropDownList in a datagrid

Question

In my web page, I have a datagrid with a DropDownList.

The item collection for this list is dependent on an option selected by the user elsewhere on the page.  The items for each option are stored in an xml file. 

When the user selects an option, I get the values for that option from the xml file and populate a dropdownlist.

So far so good.  But I can't work out how to bind this to the datagrid, to allow the user to select one of the items from the list.

Any help greatfully appreciated

Nenni M

Answer 1

write this in codebehind. This reads the data from the database but u can use the readXml method of the dataset and popluate.

Public Function PopulateTitle() As DataSet
Dim cn As New SqlConnection
Dim daPricing As SqlDataAdapter
Dim dsPricing As New DataSet
Dim TempList As New DropDownList
Dim myRow As DataRow
cn = New SqlClient.SqlConnection("ur connection string")
cn.Open()
daPricing = New SqlDataAdapter("SELECT TITLE, TITLE_ID FROM XYZ ORDER BY TITLE", cn)
daPricing.Fill(dsPricing)
PopulateTitle = dsPricing
dsPricing.Dispose()
daPricing.Dispose()
cn.Close()
End Function

write the following in .aspx
   <asp:TemplateColumn HeaderText="Title">
      <ItemTemplate>
       <asp:Label ID="lblTitle" Text='<%# DataBinder.Eval(Container.DataItem, "TITLE") %>' Runat="server" Width="176px" />
      </ItemTemplate>
      <EditItemTemplate>
       <asp:DropDownList id="ddlTitle" runat="server" DataSource="<%# PopulateTitle %>" DataTextField="TITLE" DataValueField="SERVICE_ID" OnPreRender="setTitle" Width="176px">
       </asp:DropDownList>
      </EditItemTemplate>
     </asp:TemplateColumn>

Method which is highlighted is as follows

Public Sub setTitle(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
Dim ddlTitle As DropDownList
ddlTitle = sender
If (Not ddlTitle Is Nothing And strServiceTitle <> "") Then
ddlTitle.ClearSelection()
ddlTitle.Items.FindByText(strServiceTitle).Selected = True
End If
End Sub

strServiceTitle is:

Public Sub edit(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As DataGridCommandEventArgs)strServiceTitle = CType(e.Item.FindControl("lbltitle"), Label).Text
End Sub

Answer 2

Firstly you will have to use the asp:TemplateColumn Use the itemdatabound event of the datagrid In this evnet you will have to check for the ItemType if it is ListItemType.EditItem then you can populate the control of that particular cell. Hope this helps :) Anuj