asked on

Assign selectedindex of datalist with datakey value

I have a nagivation bar created with a datalist. Each item of the datalist has a link with a querystring value with the name pageID which is the same value as the datakey for that item.

I'm trying to select an item in a datalist by comparing the datalist items datakey value with the pageID value from the querystring.

<asp:datalist id="dlstNav" runat="server" DataKeyField="pageID">
<ItemTemplate>
      <LI>
            <A href='index.aspx?pageID=<%# container.dataitem("pageID")%>'>
            <%# container.dataItem("pagetitle")%>
            </A>
      </LI>
</ItemTemplate>
</asp:datalist>

'Receives that querystring value
Dim pageID As Integer
pageID = Request.QueryString("catID")

If Not catID = Nothing Then
Dim item As DataListItem
For Each item In dlstNav.Items
If item.(get value of datakey) = pageID Then
dlstNav.selectedindex = item.itemindex
end if
Next
end if

rygar2006

ASKER

I figure it out. - the For Each sub was not firing in the page_load but it works in the datalist_load. I got the value of the datakey by binding it onto a label then use the findcontrol method to retreive it for each item in the datalist.

Private Sub dlstNav_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles dlstNav.Load
Dim catID As Integer
catID = Request.QueryString("catID")

Dim lblcatID As Label

For Each li As DataListItem In dlstNav.Items
lblcatID = li.FindControl("lblcatID")
If lblcatID.Text = catID Then
dlstNav.SelectedIndex = li.ItemIndex
End If
Next
End Sub

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