How to get text from a label in a DataList ItemTemplate ?

[CharlieChilds]

Hi,
I use Visual Web Developer 2008 Express.
I have Label1 in a DataList ItemTemplate. I wish to use a button to get the text from that label and add it to text in TextBox1 which is elsewhere on the page.

I know how to do this from a standard label on a ASP.NET web page but cannot work out how to get the text from a label inside a DataList ItemTemplate.

This is what I thought I should do:-

   Protected Sub submit_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles submit.Click
TextBox1.Text = TextBox1.Text & " " & DataList1.ItemTemplates.ItemTemplate.Label2.Text
End Sub

I thought that because “ DataList1.ItemT emplates.ItemTe mplate.Label2 - System.Web.UI.W ebControls.Labe l “ - is what is written in the properties window header when I select the label in the DataList template.

When I try that, I get a Blue Squiggle under "DataList1.Item Templates" and if I hover over the squiggle the error box comes up saying " 'ItemTemplates' is not a member of 'System.Web.UI. WeControls.Data List'

Thanks for any help on offer

[CroCrew]

Hello CharlieChilds,

I personally find easier to use a datagrid. Here is a working example that you can try out. I believe that it meets your requirements. Let me know if you have any questions.

Default.aspx

<%@ Page Language="VB" EnableEventValidation="false" AutoEventWireup="false" CodeFile="Default.aspx.vb" Inherits="Default" %>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
    <head id="Head1" runat="server">
        <title></title>
    </head>
    <body>
        <form id="form1" runat="server">
            <div>
                Selected Name: <asp:TextBox ID="TextBox1" runat="server"></asp:TextBox>  Age: <asp:TextBox ID="TextBox2" runat="server"></asp:TextBox>
                
                <asp:DataGrid ID="DataGrid1" runat="server" AutoGenerateColumns="False" GridLines="Both">
                    <Columns>
                        <asp:BoundColumn DataField="KeyId" Visible="false"></asp:BoundColumn>
                        <asp:BoundColumn DataField="FullName" Visible="true"></asp:BoundColumn>
                        <asp:BoundColumn DataField="Age" Visible="true"></asp:BoundColumn>
                        <asp:ButtonColumn CommandName="Copy" DataTextField="SelectButton"></asp:ButtonColumn>
                    </Columns>
                </asp:DataGrid>                
            </div>
        </form>
    </body>
</html>

Default.aspx.vb

Imports System.Data

Partial Class Default
    Inherits System.Web.UI.Page


    Protected Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
        FillDataList()
    End Sub

    Sub FillDataList()
        Dim mydatatable As New DataTable
        mydatatable.Columns.Add("KeyId", Type.GetType("System.String"))
        mydatatable.Columns.Add("FullName", Type.GetType("System.String"))
        mydatatable.Columns.Add("Age", Type.GetType("System.String"))
        mydatatable.Columns.Add("SelectButton", Type.GetType("System.String"))

        Dim myrow As DataRow

        myrow = mydatatable.NewRow
        myrow("KeyId") = 1
        myrow("FullName") = "Izabella Miko"
        myrow("Age") = 29
        myrow("SelectButton") = "<input id='Button1' type='button' value='Select' onclick=""__doPostBack('DataGrid1$ctl02$ctl00')"" />"
        mydatatable.Rows.Add(myrow)

        myrow = mydatatable.NewRow
        myrow("KeyId") = 2
        myrow("FullName") = "Tiffani-Amber Thiessen"
        myrow("Age") = 36
        myrow("SelectButton") = "<input id='Button1' type='button' value='Select' onclick=""__doPostBack('DataGrid1$ctl03$ctl00')"" />"
        mydatatable.Rows.Add(myrow)

        myrow = mydatatable.NewRow
        myrow("KeyId") = 3
        myrow("FullName") = "Mischa Barton"
        myrow("Age") = 24
        myrow("SelectButton") = "<input id='Button1' type='button' value='Select' onclick=""__doPostBack('DataGrid1$ctl04$ctl00')"" />"
        mydatatable.Rows.Add(myrow)


        DataGrid1.DataSource = mydatatable
        DataGrid1.DataBind()
    End Sub

    Protected Sub DataGrid1_ItemCommand(ByVal source As Object, ByVal e As System.Web.UI.WebControls.DataGridCommandEventArgs) Handles DataGrid1.ItemCommand
        Select Case (e.CommandName)
            Case "Copy"
                TextBox1.Text = e.Item.Cells(1).Text.ToString
                TextBox2.Text = e.Item.Cells(2).Text.ToString
            Case Else
                ' You can add more cases for other functions.
        End Select
    End Sub
End Class

This is what I call a “hard” example. If I were to write it into my application many things would be done dynamically like the data binding and the onclick event would be in a loop.

Happy Coding,
CroCrew~

[CharlieChilds]

Hi CroCrew,

Thanks very much for your response.

I don't see dataGrid in my tool box of VWD 2008 Express. I used datalist because I need to repeat images accross the page. I tried GridView first using different fields for image urls but then realised I had a problem with databinding to other field info per individual image.
I am still not 100% sure that DataList can do all that I need but so far so good.

Have sorted this posts issue out by using ItemCommand - as follows:

Give the button a CommandName of "Item".

Click on ItemCommand property of DataList to create a protected void. Fill the protected void as follows.

    protected void DataList1_ItemCommand(object source, DataListCommandEventArgs e)
    {  if (e.CommandName == "Item")
        {
            Label label1 = (Label)DataList1.Items[e.Item.ItemIndex].FindControl("Label1");
            Label label2 = (Label)DataList1.Items[e.Item.ItemIndex].FindControl("Label2");
            TextBox2.Text = TextBox2.Text + label1.Text + " " + label2.Text + Environment.NewLine;
        }
    }

It works a treat.
Thanks again for your effort and advice. I'll be looking up DataGrid