ASP.NET: How to assign ID to a field in DetailsView?

Question

I have a master-detail page, in which I use GridView to display multiple rows of data, and DetailsView + jQuery dialog to display the details of a single records. only one DetailsView is open at a time.

I need to be able to pull out a single field of the open DetailsView, for manipulation using JavaScript. Is there a way to give a unique ID to a given field in DetailsView, so I can use getElementByID? Or is there another way to accomplish what I'm trying to do?

Thank you in advance.

Answer 1

If you are using a bound textbox in a template field in your detailsview you can then select it by:

$("[id$='MyTextBox']");

Which will find the textbox bound to MyFieldName as below.

<asp:DetailsView ID="DetailsView1" runat="server">
    <Fields>
        <asp:TemplateField>
            <ItemTemplate>
                <asp:TextBox ID="MyTextBox" Text='<%# Bind("MyFieldName")%>' runat="server"></asp:TextBox>
            </ItemTemplate>
        </asp:TemplateField>
    </Fields>
</asp:DetailsView>

Whatever guff asp.net adds onto the begining of the id won't matter because jQuery $= mean "ends with".

Answer 2

there may be a better way, but when I've needed an id available for js work, I just convert the bound field to a templated field. you can then give the textbox the id of your choice. keep in mind when rendered the id will be expanded with the id of the parent control.