Custom Server Control Property Won't Set

[Joe]

I am having a hard time with setting a property on a custom server
control that i am placing in a repeater. The control inherits from
DropDownList. The property is being set in the repeater using the
DataBinder.Eval method. I can write that value out to the screen,
however, it is not available to the control. I think it is a problem
with the databinding of the repeater making data available to the
custom control too late.

Below is a snippet of how the control is being setup in my aspx page.
After that is the code for my control. I've tried to set that
DefaultProperty in 2 different places but can't think of anything
else.

----------------------------------
ASPX
----------------------------------

<asp:repeater id=rpt DataSource="<%# dt%>" Runat="server">

<ItemTemplate >
<frmControl:Con trolTypeDropDow n id="ddControl" runat="server"
DefaultValue='< %#DataBinder.Ev al(Container.Da taItem,
"controlTypeId" )%>' /><Br>
</ItemTemplate>
</asp:Repeater>

----------------------------------
Server Control
----------------------------------

using System;
using System.Web;
using System.Data;
using System.Data.Sql Client;
using System.Web.Cach ing;
using System.Web.UI.W ebControls;
using System.Collecti ons;

namespace app.Controls
{

/// <summary>
/// A server control to display the dropdown of Control Types. Will
be
/// displayed programatically in a repeater.
/// </summary>
public class ControlTypeDrop Down :
System.Web.UI.W ebControls.Drop DownList
{

private string defaultValue;
public string DefaultValue
{
get{return defaultValue;}
set{defaultValu e=value;}
}

public ControlTypeDrop Down() : base(){}
protected override void OnInit(System.E ventArgs e)
{

if(base.EnableV iewState && !Page.IsPostBac k)
{
//If using ViewState, only DataBind the FIRST time the page is
loaded.
this.DataBind() ;

}
else if(!base.Enable ViewState && !Page.IsPostBac k)
{
//If not using ViewState, DataBind EVERY time the page is loaded.
//Setup();
this.DataBind() ;
}

}

protected override void RenderContents( System.Web.UI.H tmlTextWriter
writer)
{
if(DefaultValue != null && DefaultValue != "")
{
base.Items.Find ByValue(Default Value).Selected =true;
}

base.RenderCont ents(writer);

}

protected override void Render(System.W eb.UI.HtmlTextW riter writer)
{
if(DefaultValue != null && DefaultValue != "")
{
base.Items.Find ByValue(Default Value).Selected =true;
}

base.Render(wri ter);
}

protected override void OnLoad(System.E ventArgs e)
{
if(base.EnableV iewState)
base.DataBind() ;

base.Attributes .Add("onChange" , "openWin(this)" );
}


public override void DataBind()
{
SortedList ht;
if(HttpContext. Current.Applica tion["ControlTypeDro pDown"]==null)
{
TS s = new TS();
ht = s.GetFormContro ls();

HttpContext.Cur rent.Applicatio n.Add("ControlT ypeDropDown", ht);
}
else
{

ht = (SortedList)Htt pContext.Curren t.Application["ControlTypeDro pDown"];
}

base.DataSource = ht;
base.DataTextFi eld = "value";
base.DataValueF ield = "key";
base.DataBind() ;

}
}
}