Access DropDownlist datavaluefield value

[Eric W. Holzapfel]

Hello Group,
As far as a dropdownlist, is there a way to access both values for
the datatextfield (like a name, etc) AND the value of the datavaluefield
(like a record number, or index etc).

the dropdown list is populated by a query to a datbase table.
loaded with a datareader like below:

Dlist.DataSource = myCommand.ExecuteReader();
Dlist.DataTextField = TextField; (this would be a name, "Jones Inc.")
Dlist.DataValueField = ValueField; ("CustID", the value of which
is a number like 101, etc)
Dlist.DataBind();

I am using c#, and a dropdown component. It show the name just fine,
but I have not yet seen how to get the customer id associated with the
name (the number is a primary key). I can do it by concatenating two
values from the table like "14 Jones Inc." and then dividing the string
at the space char. I would like to have the dropdown show the only
name, and be able to access the customer id as well.

I have not yet seen how (or if) this can be done with a webcontrol and
web form in .net.

Any tips would be helpful,

Thanks,

eric

[Elton W]

There are three values you can access for a dropdownlist:

ddlControl.SelectedIndex; // int
ddlControl.SelectedValue; // string
ddlControl.SelectedItem.Text; // string

If value of ddl, like CustID, is integer type, you need convert it:

int CustID = Convert.Toint32(ddlControl.SelectedValue);

HTH

Elton Wang
"Eric W. Holzapfel" wrote:

Hello Group,
As far as a dropdownlist, is there a way to access both values for
the datatextfield (like a name, etc) AND the value of the datavaluefield
(like a record number, or index etc).

the dropdown list is populated by a query to a datbase table.
loaded with a datareader like below:

Dlist.DataSource = myCommand.ExecuteReader();
Dlist.DataTextField = TextField; (this would be a name, "Jones Inc.")
Dlist.DataValueField = ValueField; ("CustID", the value of which
is a number like 101, etc)
Dlist.DataBind();

I am using c#, and a dropdown component. It show the name just fine,
but I have not yet seen how to get the customer id associated with the
name (the number is a primary key). I can do it by concatenating two
values from the table like "14 Jones Inc." and then dividing the string
at the space char. I would like to have the dropdown show the only
name, and be able to access the customer id as well.

I have not yet seen how (or if) this can be done with a webcontrol and
web form in .net.

Any tips would be helpful,

Thanks,

eric