Problem saving arraylist to viewstate

[Jim Corey]

I'm trying to save some ArrayLists to viewstate
and then use them as DataSources for dropdownboxes.

The code looks like this:

'DptList is a arraylist variable local to this procedure

'...populate DptList
viewstate("Dept01") = DptList
DptList.Clear()
'...populate DptList
viewstate("Dept02") = DptList
DptList.Clear() 'Comment this line and it works

When I try to use viewstate("Dept01") in another procedure
as the datasource it doesn't work. I cast this back to
an arraylist and the count is 0.

If I comment out the second DptList.Clear() it works fine.
I'm stumped.
This is all on the initial load of the page.

TIA
Jim
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[Kevin Spencer]

Car1.Driver = Joe
Joe.Kill()
Resurrect(Joe)
Car2.Driver = Joe
Joe.Kill()

Is the driver of Car1 still alive? (No, you killed him after resurrecting
him)

Car1.Driver = Joe
Joe.Kill()
Resurrect(Joe)
Car2.Driver = Joe

Is the driver of car1 still alive? (Yes, you resurrected him after killing
him)

--
HTH,
Kevin Spencer
..Net Developer
Microsoft MVP
Big things are made up
of lots of little things.

"Jim Corey" <jc****@nospamcharter.net> wrote in message
news:ui**************@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...

I'm trying to save some ArrayLists to viewstate
and then use them as DataSources for dropdownboxes.

The code looks like this:

'DptList is a arraylist variable local to this procedure

'...populate DptList
viewstate("Dept01") = DptList
DptList.Clear()
'...populate DptList
viewstate("Dept02") = DptList
DptList.Clear() 'Comment this line and it works

When I try to use viewstate("Dept01") in another procedure
as the datasource it doesn't work. I cast this back to
an arraylist and the count is 0.

If I comment out the second DptList.Clear() it works fine.
I'm stumped.
This is all on the initial load of the page.

TIA
Jim
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[Jim Corey]

Well, yes.
I guess I discounted this because (1) the first arraylist
displayed (in the dropdown) as it existed before it got
cleared the first time, and (2) I somehow hoped that
creating a viewstate variable wouldn't maintain the reference to the
arraylist. (If that's how you phrase it).

Thanks, I'll go play with it some more.

Jim


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[bruce barker]

viewstate serializes your objects at render time (it will not deserialize
until the postback). this means its just a reference to the passed object.
therefore viewstate("Dept01") and viewstate("Dept02") both reference the
same object (DptList).

note: on postback when deserialized, viewstate("Dept01") and
viewstate("Dept02") will reference two seperate arraylists.

-- bruce (sqlwork.com)

"Jim Corey" <jc****@nospamcharter.net> wrote in message
news:ui**************@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...

I'm trying to save some ArrayLists to viewstate
and then use them as DataSources for dropdownboxes.

The code looks like this:

'DptList is a arraylist variable local to this procedure

'...populate DptList
viewstate("Dept01") = DptList
DptList.Clear()
'...populate DptList
viewstate("Dept02") = DptList
DptList.Clear() 'Comment this line and it works

When I try to use viewstate("Dept01") in another procedure
as the datasource it doesn't work. I cast this back to
an arraylist and the count is 0.

If I comment out the second DptList.Clear() it works fine.
I'm stumped.
This is all on the initial load of the page.

TIA
Jim
*** Sent via Developersdex http://www.developersdex.com ***
Don't just participate in USENET...get rewarded for it!