GridView how to apply string format to item

Question

Hello,

I have the following code in the columns section of my GridView:

<Columns>
      <asp:boundfield datafield="Nominal-Anual" HeaderText="Nominal anual"/>
      <asp:boundfield datafield="Anual" headertext="Anual" sortexpression="Anual" />
      <asp:boundfield datafield="Semestral" headertext="Semestral" DataFormatString="{0:0.00}" />
      <asp:BoundField DataField="Trimestral" HeaderText="Semestral" HtmlEncode="false" DataFormatString="{0:00.0000}" />
      <asp:BoundField DataField="Mensual" HeaderText="Mensual" />
</Columns>

This gridview is feed from a datatable wich all datacolumns are of string type.

My problem is that the DataFormatString is not being applied and i dont know why.

Im getting a lots of decimals in all columns included the ones with dataformatstrings.

What could be happening?

Thanks in advance.

Best Regards.

Jose

Answer 1

Try

<asp:boundfield datafield="Semestral" headertext="Semestral" DataFormatString="{0:0.00}" HtmlEncode="false" />

I've seen this happening because (and correct me if I'm wrong) the field value is HtmlEncoded before applying the format making the format string have no effect.

Response to comment:

You can try using the RowDataBound event.

The RowDataBound event is raised when a data row (represented by a GridViewRow object) is bound to data in the GridView control. This enables you to provide an event-handling method that performs a custom routine, such as modifying the values of the data bound to the row, whenever this event occurs.

Answer 2

Maybe the formatting does not work because it expects numeric / decimal values and you are sending in data of string type?

Answer 3

I'm surprised you are forced to put strings in the database in place of date. By the way, to change the format:

1. Convert the BoundFields you want to change in TemplateField (You can do it with the designer)
2. Remove the <%# Bind(...) %>
3. Handle the RowDataBound event and set text manually: ((TextBox)e.Row.FindControl("..")).Text = MyFormatter(e.Row.DataItem);