Datalist - No databind to server control, extract possible?

Question

In a datalist, you usually extract row data with a FindControl on a control that is assigned a value via a databind using say, Eval.

What if in your datalist, there is no bind to an ASP.NET server control? It's in a datalist, "straight up", in say a table cell or on its own.

You can't do a FindControl, so is it possible to extract a row value if it's not bound and not a datakey?

Answer 1

I'm assuming there is data bound to your datalist (cause it's rendering an item template). I would use something like this in the datalist's OnItemDatabound event:

if (e.Item.ItemType == ListItemType.Item || e.Item.ItemType == ListItemType.AlternatingItem) { myobject obj = (myobject)e.Item.DataItem; }

Once you have cast the dataitem than u can extract the value you need.

Answer 2

If your value is within a DataList, you can still FindControl it, provided that it's inside a control marked with runat="server":

<asp:Literal id="ltFixedValue" runat="server">5</asp:Literal>

or even

<span id="spFixedValue" runat="server">5</span>