get selectedValue of dropdownlist from code behind

Question

On an aspx page I have a dropdownlist and a button.

I select a value from the dropdownlist and click the button.

In the button event handler I have the statment: DropDownList1.SelectedValue;

This value is showing up as the first item in the list regardless of what item is actually selected.

Same result with .SelectedItem.Value and .Text

Why? And how do I get the item actually selected?

Answer 1

Ok, i create an answer from my comment.

Do you rebind your Dropdown on every postback to the Datasource or do you have the same value for every item?

Always check for Page.IsPostback when you bind controls to a Datasource.