getting selected value when there is no selected value in asp.net

A dropdown list will always have something selected.

IF you dont specify the selected value it will just be the last one - which is why you get false entered into the DB. What else do you want to store in the DB anyway?

If you want to leave the DB entry as null then you could add another item like
 <asp:ListItem Value="">Please select</asp:ListItem>

then in code behind
If Insurance.SelectedValue !=""
{
 store in DB
}

So if the value is blank then dont update the DB.

wow, I did not know that...this is a radiobutton list, does that make any difference?  So it defaults to the LAST one

so can I create a last one that's not visible, tie it to my bit field and have the bit field stay null?

that way I wouldn't need to code checks on each field (I have several like this)

or is it better to code each one?

HI d2fox,

u can use the SelectedIndex property of the RadioButtonList....

If nothing is selected then it will be -1.

if -1 u can insert null in to the Database

> A dropdown list will always have something selected.
Only when it is a default dropdown. Setting "size" to more than 1 or using "multiple" will both allow for dropdown lists with no selected value. And of course a dropdown with no options will have no selected value.


> IF you dont specify the selected value it will just be the last one
No. It will by default select the first option.

> How can I find out if there was nothing selected by the user.
I would check the Request.Form. If Request.Form("yourradiobutton") has no value, nothing was checked by the user. But I realize that this depends on avoiding webforms.

You can set which listitem you want selected by using Selected="True" and maybe set the value to null, but I am not sure if it will insert a 'null' value like you want without doing some codebehind check, you could try this but I havent had a chance to try myself.

<asp:ListItem Text="null" Value="null" Selected="True"></asp:ListItem>
or
<asp:ListItem Text="null" Value='<%= System.DBNull.Value %>' Selected="True"></asp:ListItem>

Hi,
You should use a check box for this. The user has the option to check it or not check it.
Chris.

so if I have a database field that I want to represent this value, I said:

 .Add(New SqlParameter("@Insurance", Insurance.SelectedValue))

Where the field that I am updating with the @Insurance parameter is a bit field.

but this doesn't work, as if there is nothing selected yet, it stores a false.  How can i do ths?

what do you exactly want to do??? if nothing is selected what should be stored???

Hi,
If you choose to use a checkbox, then it is this...
dim InsuranceSelected as boolean
if checkbox1.checked then
   InsuranceSelected = true
else
   InsuranceSelected = false
end if

or, more simply...
dim InsuranceSelected as boolean = checkbox1.checked

then
.Add(New SqlParameter("@Insurance", InsuranceSelected))
Chris

fajeeshmca, if there is nothing selected, I want to store a null

so if it's 'true' selected, i want to store 'true', if it's 'false' I want to store 'false' and if there is nothing selected I want to store a null (or nothing).

HI d2fox,

Try this

.Add(New SqlParameter("@Insurance", Insurance.SelectedIndex == -1? (object)DBNull.Value:(object)Insurance.SelectedValue))

rajeeshmca, thank you, that's interesting, can you explain?

So here is what I wrote in VB to correspond to this:

 .Add(New SqlParameter("@Insurance", If((Insurance.SelectedValue = -1), System.DBNull.Value, DirectCast(Insurance.SelectedValue, Object))))


I get an error  BC30201: Expression expected.

Please let me know if this is not what I should write

Its called the ternary operator.... short form for the if condition...