dropdownlist problem - HELP URGENT

[ana_gil]

hello

i have a problem with a dropdown list i am populating from an Access table.
I´ve seen this problem in other discussions but i can´t seem to find the solution. please help.

my .aspx has the following inside a form:

[HTML]<asp:DropDownLi st id="_Pais" runat="server">
</asp:DropDownLis t>
<asp:RequiredFi eldValidator id="vr_Pais" runat="server" ControlToValida te="_Pais" Display="None" EnableClientScr ipt="false" ></asp:RequiredFie ldValidator>[/HTML]


my .aspx.cs has the following inside a function, which is not Page_Load, but is called upon just before the html code in the .aspx:

string qryP = "SELECT PaisES AS Texto, PaisES AS Valor FROM Paises ORDER BY PaisES";
 
OleDbConnection cnP = new OleDbConnection(
                    System.Configuration.ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings["accessConnectionString"]);
cnP.Open();
OleDbDataAdapter daP = new OleDbDataAdapter(qryP, cnP);
OleDbCommandBuilder cbP = new OleDbCommandBuilder(daP);
DataSet dsP = new DataSet();
daP.Fill(dsP, "Paises");
 
((DropDownList)GetControl("_Pais")).DataSource = dsP.Tables["Paises"].DefaultView;
((DropDownList)GetControl("_Pais")).DataTextField= "Texto";
((DropDownList)GetControl("_Pais")).DataValueField= "Valor";
((DropDownList)GetControl("_Pais")).DataBind();
 
cnP.Close();
 
((DropDownList)GetControl("_Pais")).Items.Insert(0, "-Select-");
 
if (!Page.IsPostBack)
{
       ((DropDownList)GetControl("_Pais")).Items.FindByText("-Select-").Selected = true;
}

The dropdownl list populates just fine. but when i press submit, the RequiredFieldVa lidator acts as if there was no item selected. If i take away the RequiredFieldVa lidator, the submit will work just fine, and the selected item will be saved into the DB.

Please help, i'm on a deadline :( :confused: