ASP.NET Item.Insert Null Value

If the dropdown list is databound, try to insert the null/empty value not directly to the dropdownlist, but on the data source. For example, if your data source is a Dataset obtained from database query, insert a new empty file in the dataset itself before to databind to the dropdownlist. That will work for sure.

You can only use .Add() in this case.

try this:
YourDropDown.Items.Add(new ListItem())

[]'s

Hi,

The following code snippet works.

            DataTable dt = new DataTable();
            dt.Columns.Add("ID");
            dt.Columns.Add("Name");
            
            DataRow dr;
 
            dr = dt.NewRow();
            dr[0]= 1;
            dr[1]="mathews";
            dt.Rows.Add(dr);
 
            dr = dt.NewRow();
            dr[0]=2;
            dr[1]="Julie";
            dt.Rows.Add(dr);
 
            dr = dt.NewRow();
            dr[0]=3;
            dr[1]="King";
            dt.Rows.Add(dr);
            
            dr=dt.NewRow();
            dr[0]=4;
            dr[1]="Romeo";
            dt.Rows.Add(dr);
 
            dr=dt.NewRow();
            dr[0]=5;
            dr[1]="Mose";
            dt.Rows.Add(dr);
 
            DropDownList1.DataSource = dt;
            DropDownList1.DataTextField = "Name";
            DropDownList1.DataValueField = "ID";
            DropDownList1.DataBind();
 
            DropDownList1.Items.Insert(0, new ListItem(string.Empty, string.Empty));

Select allOpen in new window

But there is a limitation when you try to insert into the database. An empty string will be insert into the database. This is because the SelectedValue of the DropDownList will return a string.

To handle this you have to handle in the code behind.

If you have a typed dataset, automatically Visual Studio will create a function named

DataSet1.DataTable1.SetColumnNull();

>>>but the records are not being inserted as NULLS
Why do you need to insert a NULL value in a DropDownList? You can insert an empty string in DDL, not null. Maybe I misunderstood your problem?

Well Im fine with inserted an empty string but the problem is I am running a SELECT query against the database and I dont know how to filter out the empty string....

WHERE [TableName] IS NOT NULL doesnt work

You have to write a stored procedure like this.

Create Procedure dbo.sp_InsertValue(@EName varchar(150) = null)
AS
Begin
             Insert into [TableName] values (@EName)
END

and on the page code behind you have to add the parameter @EName  to the SqlCommand object only when the selected index of the dropdown list  > 0

or other way

Create Procedure dbo.sp_InsertValue(@EName varchar(150))
As
Begin
     IF len(@EName)>0
         Insert into [TableName[ Values (@EName)
    Else
        Insert into [TableName] Values (null)
END

I was able to solve this problem by using a different method. Thanks to all who offered a suggestion