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asp.net dropdownlist does not remember choice

I'm currently running into a head-scratching bug in my ASP.NET Windows Form App. I have two DropDownList, implemented them in the same way, yet they behave differently.
The problem:
When selecting an item in the DropDownList "GroepSelect", the page refreshes (as intended), but resets it's SelectedIndex to the first item.
When selecting an item in the DropDownList "VakSelect", the page refreshes, but also remembers it's SelectedIndex value.
It's doing this behavior consistently, yet I am unable to discover what I do wrong.
My Code:
In my HTML code, I have two DropDownList Controls.
<div>
<asp:DropDownList runat="server" ID="GroepSelect" AutoPostBack="true" AppendDataBoundItems="true" />
<asp:DropDownList runat="server" ID="VakSelect" AutoPostBack="true" AppendDataBoundItems="true" />
</div>
I'm populating the controls in my C# code:
protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e) {
Database db = new Database();
if (!IsPostBack) {
GroepSelect.DataSource = GenereerDummyGroepen(); // returns a List<ListItem>
GroepSelect.DataTextField = "Text";
GroepSelect.DataValueField = "Value";
GroepSelect.DataBind();
GroepSelect.SelectedValue = "1";
VakSelect.DataSource = db.GetVakken(); // returns a List<Vak>
VakSelect.DataTextField = "Omschrijving";
VakSelect.DataValueField = "Id";
VakSelect.DataBind();
VakSelect.SelectedValue = "1";
}
// Use the SelectedValue to determine which data to get out of the database
Medewerkers = db.GetMedewerkers(int.Parse(GroepSelect.SelectedValue));
Opdracht = db.GetOpdrachten(int.Parse(VakSelect.SelectedValue)).First();
Resultaten = db.GetResultaten(Opdracht.Id, int.Parse(GroepSelect.SelectedValue));
GenereerTabel();
}
As requested, my code for GenereerDummyGroepen() is the following:
private List<ListItem> GenereerDummyGroepen() {
return new List<ListItem>()
{
new ListItem("Groep 1", "1"),
new ListItem("Groep 2", "1")
};
}
Why I implemented it this way?
I try to populate a custom-made pivot table based on the content of Medewerkers, Opdracht and Resultaten. The content of those lists, depends on the selected item in the DropDownList control. The expected behavior of those controls is, that on the moment those are changed, the table should re-populate. The strategy I follow here, is that a page-postback is being processed, and using the AppendDataBoundItems=true remembers the DropDownList contents so that on the newly refreshed page I can generate the table.
My Question
I'm looking for the answer for: why is there a consistent different behavior? Is it the fact that the ListItem class differs in behavior from my custom class Vak?

Here I guess issue is with you function
GenereerDummyGroepen();
Please put your code here. In your code there is value field might have same data for all listItem. Because of that it is changing default to firstIndex as all values are same.

Dropdown List not returning the correct value

i am trying to retrieve the value on a previously databinded DropDownList like this:
<asp:DropDownList ID="DropDownListReception" runat="server" CssClass="span3 drop-down-reception"
OnPreRender="DropDownListReception_PreRender" OnSelectedIndexChanged="DropDownListReception_SelectedIndexChanged" AutoPostBack="true"></asp:DropDownList>
protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
var receptions = BLLFactory.ReceptionBLL.GetListAll();
DropDownListReception.DataSource = receptions;
DropDownListReception.DataBind();
}
On the DropDown PreRender i am personalizing this DropDown like this:
protected void DropDownListReception_PreRender(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
if (DropDownListReception.DataSource != null)
{
DropDownListReception.Items.Clear();
DropDownListReception.Items.Add(new ListItem("-- Select --", "NA"));
foreach (Reception item in (DropDownListReception.DataSource as IEnumerable))
{
DropDownListReception.Items.Add(new ListItem(item.Name + " " + item.Number, item.Id.ToString()));
}
}
}
this is working perfectly, my DropDown loads as it should, my problem is when i try to retrieve the SelectedValue in the SelectedIndexChanged event, it wont return the value as a string but as a type, what i am doing is:
protected void DropDownListReception_SelectedIndexChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
//CurrentReception is a string i want to save in ViewState
//I also tried (sender as DropDownList).SelectedValue
//Tried DropDownListReception.SelectedValue
CurrentReception = DropDownListReception.SelectedItem.Value;
}
but this "DropDownListReception.SelectedItem.Value" will always return "Reception" which is the type of the item, not the id i assigned as the item value in the PreRender event. This also happens if i do this: "DropDownListReception.SelectedItem.Text", this also return "Reception". How can i return the string Value i assigned to the DropDown item?

var CurrentReception = DropDownListReception.SelectedItem as Reception;
string val = CurrentReception.PropertyYouNeed;

DropDownListReception.SelectedItem.Text and DropDownListReception.SelectedItem.Value will return the value of the selection, which is the second term in the ListItem used when you add it to the list. In other words, the problem is with item.Id.ToString(). It returns the type of the object instead of the ID. I'm not sure what your item object actually consists of so I'm not sure what you actually need, but are you sure it's not just item.Id? ToString() is generally the string representation of the object, if item.Id is an int, then ToString should give you the string equivalent of that int... but the fact that it doesn't work suggests item.Id is not actually an int.

I think you need to cast the list item to the type that you stored in it (Reception), then access the property from the Reception object that you want (from your description it sounds like you want the id). Like this:
protected void DropDownListReception_SelectedIndexChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
//CurrentReception is a string i want to save in ViewState
CurentReception = ((Reception)DropDownListReception.SelectedItem).Id.ToString();
}

I figured it out, i was DataBinding the DropDownList on the PageLoad, which fires before the SelectedIndexChanged event. Since the DropDown does a PostBack when its value changes, the PageLoad was "Recreating" the DropDown and i was losing the changes before getting to the SelectedIndexChanged code.
Thank you all for your answers.:)

Object reference not set to an instance of an object when tring to set the selection of a combo box

I have a text box and a RadComboBox like this :
<asp:TextBox ID="txt_inner_emp_num" runat="server" Width="60px"
ontextchanged="txt_inner_emp_num_TextChanged" AutoPostBack="true"></asp:TextBox>
<telerik:RadComboBox ID="rad_ddl_inner_emp_name" runat="server" CausesValidation="False"
CollapseDelay="0" Culture="ar-EG" ExpandDelay="0" Filter="Contains" ItemsPerRequest="100"
MarkFirstMatch="true" Width="380px" EnableAutomaticLoadOnDemand="True" EmptyMessage="-emp name-" ShowMoreResultsBox="True" AutoPostBack="True">
</telerik:RadComboBox>
According to the Telerik Documentation
Set a data source to the RadComboBox. Use either DataSourceID or the
DataSource property to do this and set the DataTextField and
DataValueField properties to the respective fields in the data source.
(Note that when using DataSource you must set the property on each
postback, most conveniently in Page_Init.) Set
EnableAutomaticLoadOnDemand to true.
protected void BindEmployees()
{
rad_ddl_inner_emp_name.Items.Clear();
rad_ddl_inner_emp_name.DataSource = Utilities.GetAllEmployees();
rad_ddl_inner_emp_name.DataTextField = "name";
rad_ddl_inner_emp_name.DataValueField = "emp_num";
rad_ddl_inner_emp_name.DataBind();
}
protected void Page_Init(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
BindEmployees();
}
protected void txt_inner_emp_num_TextChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
rad_ddl_inner_emp_name.ClearSelection();
rad_ddl_inner_emp_name.Items.FindItemByValue(txt_inner_emp_num.Text.TrimEnd()).Selected = true;//Get exception here Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
}
I find rad_ddl_inner_emp_name.Items.Count = 0 !! before set the selection ! How to fix this problem ?

As I'm sure you aware of by now, the radcombox typeahead functionality searches text via client side interaction and not by value, which is why you can't find the values.
What I would suggest is having a secondary object to search by emp_num (assuming that's the value that will always be entered into the textbox).
For example, create a global variable:
private Dictionary<string, string> Emp_Dict = new Dictionary<string, string>();
Then populate this dictionary when you do your binding. The following code assumes an ienumerable type being returned. If not you may have to populate the dictionary differently. Also, for this to work, you have to include (System.Linq).
var dataSource = Utilities.GetAllEmployees();
Emp_Dict = dataSource.ToDictionary(ex => ex.emp_num, ex => ex.name);
rad_ddl_inner_emp_name.Items.Clear();
rad_ddl_inner_emp_name.DataSource = dataSource;
rad_ddl_inner_emp_name.DataTextField = "name";
rad_ddl_inner_emp_name.DataValueField = "emp_num";
rad_ddl_inner_emp_name.DataBind();
So now we need to use the dictionary on the text changed event.
protected void txt_inner_emp_num_TextChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
rad_ddl_inner_emp_name.ClearSelection();
if (Emp_Dict.ContainsKey(txt_inner_emp_num.Text.TrimEnd()))
{
rad_ddl_inner_emp_name.SelectedValue = txt_inner_emp_num.Text.TrimEnd();
rad_ddl_inner_emp_name.Text = Emp_Dict[txt_inner_emp_num.Text.TrimEnd()];
}
}
Now when the text changes in the text box, the radcombobox will update when a valid emp_num is entered into the textbox.

The Problem is that the Items only get loaded when you request them!
Set
EnableAutomaticLoadOnDemand="False"
and it will work!
UPDATE:
if you want to use LoadOnDemand set these two Properties and delete the EnableAutomicLoadOnDemand!
EnableLoadOnDemand="True"
EnableItemCaching="True"
UPDATE 2:
Enable ItemCaching isn´t necessary, but it doesn´t hurt!

You do not need to bind data to RadComboBox on every postback unless you disable the view state.
Filter, MarkFirstMatch and EnableAutomaticLoadOnDemand are not useful in your case as you are loading all employees by yourself.
LoadOnDemand basically is when user starts typing inside ComboBox, ComboBox fires ItemsRequested event and retrieves data via ajax.
<asp:TextBox ID="txt_inner_emp_num" runat="server" Width="60px"
ontextchanged="txt_inner_emp_num_TextChanged" AutoPostBack="true" />
<telerik:RadComboBox ID="rad_ddl_inner_emp_name" runat="server"
CausesValidation="False" Culture="ar-EG">
</telerik:RadComboBox>
protected void Page_Init(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
if (!IsPostBack)
{
rad_ddl_inner_emp_name.DataSource = Utilities.GetAllEmployees();
rad_ddl_inner_emp_name.DataTextField = "name";
rad_ddl_inner_emp_name.DataValueField = "emp_num";
rad_ddl_inner_emp_name.DataBind();
}
}
protected void txt_inner_emp_num_TextChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
string value = txt_inner_emp_num.Text;
if(!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(value))
{
value = value.Trim();
if (rad_ddl_inner_emp_name.Items
.FindItemByValue(txt_inner_emp_num.Text.Trim()) != null)
rad_ddl_inner_emp_name.SelectedValue = value;
}
}

Since you don't have any item in rad_ddl_inner_emp_name.Items you can set txt_inner_emp_num.Text as selected in ddl.
First check if rad_ddl_inner_emp_name.Items count > 0 then set desired text selected. Or you can check if rad_ddl_inner_emp_name.Items.FindItemByValue(txt_inner_emp_num.Text.TrimEnd()) is not null.

Dropdownlist in masterpage value not updated after new selected

I would like some help with the following problem. I have a dropdownlist implemented in my masterpage. It has an sql data source from which it loads the values of companies. Depending on which value(company) selected, it shows that value in a label on a different page.
The ddl which is in the masterpage is ofc still visible and should display the selected value which it does at the 1st time a value is selected. But when i select another value in the ddl it shows the value which was 1st selected and so on. So it doesn't update or something.
My code:
This is the onselectedIndexChanged event handler:
protected void DropDownListType_SelectedIndexChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
String input1 = DropDownListType.Text;
String input2 = DropDownListType.SelectedValue;
String url = "~/test.aspx?pcompany="+input1;
DropDownListType.SelectedValue = input2;
Session["Company"] = input2;
Response.Redirect(url);
}
and this is the code i'm using in my Page_load method from the masterpage:
if (Session["Company"] != null)
{
DropDownListType.SelectedValue = (String)Session["Company"];
}
If I remove this last piece of code from my page_load method it updates the label with value on the redirected page but it resets my ddl to default value instead of keeping it at 4 when value 4 selected.
I hope this is a bit clear to you all. Any help is appreciated. Ty in advance.

try setting the label value in the PreRender() method. The problem you're having is with the page life cycle. I would change your OnLoad method to use
if(!IsPostBack) {
if (Session["Company"] != null)
{
DropDownListType.SelectedValue = (String)Session["Company"];
}
}
This way you're only setting it once when the page loads and from then on the page will set the selected value automatically using viewstate.

The Load event is fired before the SelectedIndexChanged event, that's why you don't have it set in Session yet.
See ASP.NET Page Life Cycle

just set the AutoPostback property of the DropDownList to true and then it will work.
This is because otherwise the onselectedIndexChanged will be called only on PostBack from a button or any other field.
And also, as the above answer says, use this code:
if(!IsPostBack) {
if (Session["Company"] != null)
{
DropDownListType.SelectedValue = (String)Session["Company"];
}
}

Dropdown gets cleared

I have one asp.net application, in which i have one dropdown which is binded to dataset. But after selecting one item, the drop down gets cleared all the value, How we can resolve this issue?
This is my dropdown list in design page:
<asp:DropDownList ID="ddlProduct" runat="server" CssClass="textEntry" Width="300px"
AutoPostBack="True" OnSelectedIndexChanged="ddlProduct_SelectedIndexChanged">
</asp:DropDownList>
and binding code is shown below.
protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
if (!IsPostBack)
BindProductDdl();
}
private void BindProductDdl()
{
Products objProducts = new Products();
dsProducts dsProduct = new dsProducts();
ListItem olst = default(ListItem);
olst = new ListItem(" Select", "0");
dsProduct = objProducts.GetDataset("");
ddlProduct.DataSource = dsProduct;
ddlProduct.DataTextField = "Product";
ddlProduct.DataValueField = "Id";
ddlProduct.DataBind();
ddlProduct.Items.Insert(0, olst);
}
protected void ddlProduct_SelectedIndexChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
Products objProducts = new Products();
dsProducts dsProduct = new dsProducts();
string criteria = "";
if (ddlProduct.SelectedItem.Text != " Select")
{
string id = ddlProduct.SelectedItem.Value;
criteria = "Id='" + id + "'";
dsProduct = objProducts.GetDataset(criteria);
productValue = Convert.ToDecimal(dsProduct.tblProducts.Rows[0]["Value"].ToString());
}
}
Thanks in advance..

From your question if I understand correctly you dont want the dropdown list to rebind if it is populated. Also please check your viewstate, this should not be happening, unless you have disabled viewstate
protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
if (!IsPostBack && ddlProduct.Items.count <=0 )
BindProductDdl();
}

Set the AppendDataBoundItems property of the dropdown to true and this will allow you to have a mix of databound items and non databound items (otherwise that insert statement is clearing your list)
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.web.ui.webcontrols.listcontrol.appenddatabounditems.aspx

Do you have viewstate disabled on the page? Since you are only loading the items into the dropdownlist on the first load of the page, if viewstate is not enabled there will be nothing in the list after the postback.

Not positive, but I've seen in other languages and false interpretation...
You have your product Value as convert of ToDecimal which implies 99.999 for example.
If your ID that you are binding to is based on a whole number (ie: Integer basis), the bound value won't match... even if Value = 1 vs Value = 1.00 it won't match and will not be considered a valid "value" that matches your list. Convert your answer to a whole/integer number and it might do what you expect.

Without seeing the full source for the page I am simply speculating, but have you disabled ViewState on the page? If so, the DropDownList cannot retain its values between postbacks and the lists will have to be reloaded each time.